SAN DIEGO — Drivers through downtown San Diego are in luck. Caltrans reopened all lanes along southbound Interstate 5 Sunday after crews wrapped up the first part of a bridge repair project ahead of schedule.

The closure, which was implemented for emergency repairs to the bridge deck over State Route 163, began at 9 p.m. Friday and was originally scheduled to run through 5 a.m. Monday.

All southbound traffic was diverted onto eastbound Interstate 8 during the time. The closure was also anticipated to have a major impact on travelers headed to San Diego International Airport.

After making significant progress, however, Caltrans announced in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Sunday afternoon that motorists were allowed back onto the stretch of I-5.

“The weather this weekend was amazing. That allowed us to get ahead of the work,” Caltrans spokesperson David Cortez said Sunday. “The materials dried faster and that allows us to keep on going, so the weather was perfect for this type of work.”

Another closure is scheduled for northbound I-5 from Friday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. to Monday, Oct. 1 at 5 a.m. That closure will start at the State Route 15 connector. One lane will be available for limited local traffic.

As with this weekend, the northbound closure is anticipated to cause delays in the downtown area and travelers are advised to plan ahead if you are driving in the area. Motorists are encouraged to avoid using I-5 by traveling on alternate routes like SR-163, I-805 and SR-15.

For real-time traffic information including traffic speed, lane and road closures due to construction and maintenance activities, motorists can visit Caltrans’ QuickMap. Drivers can also visit Caltrans on Twitter for up-to-date information.

Caltrans says the closure is subject to change due to weather, traffic incidents or other construction considerations.