Editor’s Note: This story will continue to be updated as more information is made available.
BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – All lanes of northbound I-5 are back open south of Bellingham following a nearly month-long closure.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced the reopening shortly after noon on Wednesday, April 15. It came slightly ahead of schedule, as the agency had previously targeted a reopening at 5 am Thursday, April 16.
The four-mile stretch of highway had been closed between North Lake Samish and Old Fairhaven Parkway since March 19 after heavy rain triggered two landslides.
Crews had since worked around the clock to drill holes into the hillside and anchor nearly 100 steel dowels to stabilize the slope. WSDOT says they also cleared about 7,000 cubic yards of debris, which is enough to fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Geotechnical engineers then performed a final inspection to make sure the slope was stable before reopening the road.
The northbound on-ramp at North Lake Samish remains closed as of 12:30 pm.
