Floods damaged roads, bridges countywide

JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Roads, streets and bridges across Whatcom County incurred substantial damage from the January flooding, and local governments have reported it will cost them at least $5.3 million for repairs.

Most of the damage occurred along rural roads. Whatcom County government has reported more than $2.7 million in damage.

"Damage to roadways and bridges creates safety hazards to the traveling public as well as the potential for further damage to occur if repairs are not undertaken," county staff wrote on Federal Emergency Management Agency forms.

Lynden officials are worried that a badly damaged culvert could fail and take Main Street with it, cutting off one of the town's important east-west connectors. It doesn't have the money to fix it.

Following is a breakdown of some of the most significant damage to roads, streets and bridges. It is not a comprehensive list.

WHATCOM COUNTY

$500,000 in damage: Emerald Lake Way on the south side of Toad Lake saw major damage from a landslide. The road is currently one lane.

$284,000: Turkington Road and its Jones Creek bridge west of Acme were damaged when the creek carried debris and buried the road and bridge.

$262,600: Rutsatz Road, which is off Highway 9 just south of the Mount Baker Highway, had about 70 feet of roadway break and slip.

$175,000: The roadway and shoulder of North Lake Samish Drive were damaged by a swelled Phinney Creek.

LYNDEN

$1.75 million: The Main Street culvert for Fishtrap Creek was badly damaged by a swelled creek. The culvert is east of North 8th Street.

"An unexpected catastrophic failure of this culvert would have unknown but vast public safety issues, depending on the time of the failure, especially as this is a major arterial and school pedestrian and bus route," staff wrote on the FEMA forms.

The street is also the main access for many businesses, including the second largest dry milk processing plant on the West Coast, they wrote.

BELLINGHAM

$765,000: The city's diversion dam (and access road to it) on the Nooksack River's middle fork was damaged. Access to the dam is impossible. The dam directs water into Lake Whatcom, the city's drinking-water supply.

$70,000: Water damaged streets and shoulders citywide, and asphalt and shoulder repairs are needed in 23 locations.

FERNDALE

$32,000: The Nooksack River created a large hole under the Main Street bridge near the east footings. The hole needs to be filled. The eroded riverbank also needs repair.