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Gov. Ferguson updates public on landslide blocking I-5 northbound near Bellingham, WA

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Published  March 21, 2026 3:05pm PDT
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FOX 13 Seattle

The Brief

    • The governor says WSDOT is working on securing an emergency contract to clear a landslide on I-5.
    • On Thursday, the slide blocked all northbound lanes of I-5 near Bellingham, closing the highway just north of North Lake Samish Drive.
    • Fallen trees and rocks still cover the roadway days later as drivers are asked to take detours along SR 9 and SR 11.

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - State leaders have new updates for the public regarding the landslide that has shut down a section of Interstate 5 near Bellingham for several days. "At least one of the rocks is bigger than a bus," said a representative with WSDOT. 

On Saturday, Mar. 21, Governor Bob Ferguson released a statement about the cleanup effort. He said there are emergency contract negotiations underway to find and hire a contractor to get the road safe for drivers.

The northbound lanes of I-5 shut down on Thursday when a landslide spilled tons of dirt and rows of trees along the highway.

What's next:

Heading into the weekend, drivers heading northbound remained diverted to exit 246 and asked to instead consider taking State Route 9 or State Route 11. 

Gov. Ferguson thanked the WSDOT teams as they continue working to get the road open. 

For those looking for more information, there is a real-time travel page on the WSDOT website. 

wsdot photo of landslide on I-5 near bellingham

WSDOT photo of landslide on I-5 near Bellingham

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