BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A beloved Bellingham landmark is facing a final deadline for it to find a new home.
WSDOT spokesperson RB McKeon says the agency will decide whether the I-5 graffiti rock will be relocated or demolished by this Saturday, Nov. 1.
The rock needs to be moved because it’s in the direct path of a temporary bypass road that will keep traffic moving during fish passage construction through Chuckanut Creek.
My Bellingham Now previously reported that two private property owners expressed interest in acquiring the rock while keeping it publicly accessible.
But McKeon says WSDOT has determined that the rock cannot be moved in a single piece due to financial and logistical issues.
The department’s plan will now involve breaking the rock into smaller sections while still offering it to any interested property owners.
If no owner steps up, McKeon says the rock will be demolished and broken into pieces that will be made available for “community distribution.”
She adds that WSDOT understands the rock’s cultural significance to the community and is waiting until the last possible moment to give it a chance to be preserved.
