Morning Delays Expected on I-5 and SR-52 as Bridge and Roadwork Continue

Saturday Traffic Overview

San Diego commuters and weekend travelers should prepare for significant disruptions on major arteries this Saturday, February 28, 2026. While typical weekend traffic is expected to be light in the early morning hours, several critical construction projects and maintenance closures will force detours on some of the city's most-traveled routes. Caltrans District 11 has scheduled multiple operations that will impact the morning commute through at least midday.

Major Freeway Impacts

The most notable disruption is on Southbound Interstate 5 near Gilman Drive. As part of the ongoing I-5 Asset Management Project, Caltrans will close three of the four southbound lanes to conduct essential bridge work. This closure is scheduled from 7:00 p.m. Friday evening through 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Motorists traveling toward downtown from the North County area are strongly advised to transition to Interstate 805 to avoid the single-lane bottleneck at Gilman Drive. All lanes are expected to reopen by Saturday afternoon.

Additionally, those traveling in the Kearny Mesa area will face a full closure of the Eastbound State Route 52 connector to Southbound Interstate 15. This closure will be in effect from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. To bypass the closure, drivers should continue northbound on I-15, exit at Miramar Way, and use the overpass to loop back onto the southbound I-15 lanes. In the downtown area, guardrail repairs will force the closure of the Northbound SR-163 on-ramps at 11th Avenue and A Street from 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Motorists will be detoured via Park Boulevard to access the freeway.

Public Transport and Bus Detours

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has also announced several service adjustments for Saturday. Route 20 will be on detour during the early morning SR-163 closure, though no stops are expected to be missed. In the East County area, Route 875 will experience a bus stop closure at Washington Avenue and Grossmont Avenue from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. due to local construction. Furthermore, a recurring Saturday closure on Route 1 at El Cajon Boulevard and Altadena Avenue will remain in effect until 4:00 p.m.

On a positive note for rail commuters, the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley is scheduled to resume regular service today following a week of nighttime single-tracking maintenance. Trains will operate on their standard Saturday schedule with 15-minute frequencies throughout the day.

Event-Related Congestion

In addition to roadworks, localized traffic increases are expected near Balboa Park and downtown. The 43rd Annual San Diego Chinese New Year Fair is taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., which will likely increase pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the downtown core. The San Diego Museum of Art is also hosting its centennial 'Birthday Fest,' potentially causing delays along El Prado in Balboa Park. Commuters are encouraged to use the Trolley as a reliable alternative to avoid parking congestion at these major event sites.