Delays expected along major Bellingham commuter route as sewer line replacement begins
A $3.5 million project to replace a sewer line along Woburn Street started Monday, April 24, promising a summer of traffic delays for drivers through several Bellingham east side neighborhoods.
Lane closures and detours will last about six months, affecting Woburn Street from Barkley Boulevard south to Lakeway Drive, the city said on its website.
“They’re required to keep lanes open on Woburn because it’s a major commuter route,” said Chad Schulhauser, city engineer and assistant director of the Public Works Department, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting.
The sewer main has been in use since 1938. The goal of the project is to replace aging infrastructure and accommodate population growth in north Bellingham, according to Bellingham Public Works spokesperson Amy Cloud.
Drivers should expect workers between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., the city said.
Drivers will first see traffic reduced to a single lane between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. starting on Yew Street from Carolina Street to Texas Street. Crews will then move to Woburn Street at Texas Street, working north toward Barkley Boulevard.
Road closures include:
▪ Woburn Street from Fraser Street south toward Lakeway Drive.
▪ Woburn Street from Texas Street to Barkley Boulevard.
▪ Barkley Boulevard from Woburn Street to Newmarket Street.
▪ Yew Street from Carolina Street to Texas Street.
Funding for the project comes from sanitary sewer fees, according to previous reporting by The Bellingham Herald.
