BELLINGHAM - If the weather holds, the state Department of Transportation plans to reopen Samish Way's northbound Interstate 5 on-ramp Thursday, June 28.

Crews have been closing the lanes near the ramp nightly while they finish work, including restriping. The work is part of a project to lengthen the on-ramp.

"We've added about three football fields of distance to it to make it quite a bit easier for drivers to get up to speed and merge," DOT spokesman Dustin Terpening said.

The striping work is weather dependent, and the opening could be delayed if the weather doesn't cooperate.

The state had hoped to open the ramp by the end of May, but more time was needed to work on a retaining wall supporting the ramp.

The ramp is one of four the DOT lengthened in Bellingham. The other on-ramps are southbound Lakeway Drive, northbound Iowa Street and southbound Sunset Drive. The state plans to close the Sunset Drive ramp from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday to finish installing some curb. It will close the Iowa Street ramp from 7 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday to finish electrical work and striping.

Reach JARED PABEN at jared.paben@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2289.