I-5 fish passage project near Bellingham, WA to bring lane closures
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A three-year construction project on a stretch of I-5 in Skagit and Whatcom counties is set to begin Wednesday, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
WSDOT says crews will remove 17 barriers to fish migration and replace them with 10 new structures designed to help fish swim freely beneath I-5 and adjacent county roads near Lake Samish. Work along this 6-mile segment of highway is expected to continue through 2027.
Keep reading to find out what drivers can expect, including planned bypass routes during construction.
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What to expect
What we know:
Overnight work will begin at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, on I-5 south of Bellingham, according to WSDOT. Drivers should expect single-lane closures between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. through early June.
Later this summer, crews will set up temporary two-lane bypass roads for both northbound and southbound traffic. Speed limits will be reduced in work zones to ensure safety.
In addition to lane closures, drivers should plan for occasional rolling slowdowns, which briefly hold or slow traffic to create a safe space for crews.
What we don't know:
WSDOT says that construction may also take place in late 2025 at unnamed tributaries to Friday Creek near Alger. More details will be released once the schedule is confirmed.
Clearing a path for fish
The backstory:
The project is part of a broader effort to improve fish passage under state highways and reconnect stream habitats. The work will benefit Lake Creek, Chuckanut Creek and unnamed tributaries to both Friday Creek and Lake Creek.
The improvements support compliance with a 2013 federal court injunction that requires Washington state to accelerate the removal of culverts that block habitat for salmon, bull trout and steelhead.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Washington State Department of Transportation.