WSDOT releases updated information about Chuckanut Drive slide closure
Chuckanut Drive will be closed for several more weeks south of Bellingham as road crews remove debris and stabilize a sheer rock wall after an April 22 rockslide.
Officials at the Washington State Department of Transportation received a “declaration of emergency” and are moving forward with efforts to open the scenic roadway, WSDOT’s RB McKeon told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
“We anticipate this closure to remain in effect for several weeks while crews work in this area,” McKeon said.
Chuckanut Drive is closed between milepost 9.5 and milepost 10, between Chuckanut Manor restaurant and the Oyster Dome trailhead.
McKeon said that geotechnical engineers reported that pieces of solid rock in the debris pile were up to 15 feet in diameter, with many in the 6- to 8-foot range.
There is also an overhanging rock block that is about 20 feet tall, 10 to 12 feet wide and 10 feet thick within a tension crack.
The slide contains an estimated 5,000 cubic yards of debris covering the roadway.
“Crews will begin by breaking down and removing the largest boulders. After some of the debris is removed, crews will blanket the road surface with finer material to protect the pavement from further damage during scaling and drilling operations,” McKeon told The Herald.
“Crews who specialize in this type of work will use hand tools and compressed air to safely remove loose rock from the steep slope, working from top to bottom to reduce hazards. Once loose debris is cleared, rock bolts will be installed to anchor and secure any remaining material. These anchors require drilling deep into the rock face, followed by grouting and torquing for stability,” McKeon said.
After the debris is removed and the hillside is stabilized, crews can repair the pavement and open the road.
Once the slide is cleared, WSDOT plans to repair a separate rock fall about one mile south of the Whatcom-Skagit county line, from an incident that occurred in November 2024. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers with intermittent holds during that repair process, McKeon said.
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
