Bellingham trail opens following culvert work delayed by weather, fuel spill
A Greenways trail into Fairhaven opened Wednesday following an eight-month closure while the city of Bellingham removed a fish ladder and widened culverts where the Padden Creek passes under roads on its way to Bellingham Bay.
A section of the Interurban Trail between 10th and 14th streets was closed with a detour during construction, which was delayed by two fuel spills and a subsequent cleanup costing more than $150,000. Heavy rainfall in December delayed trail restoration efforts, the city said at its website.
Removal of the fish ladder and culvert was part of an agreement between the city and Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Indian Tribe to make salmon-bearing streams easier for spawning fish to travel. The fish ladder was replaced with a sloping rocky grade that restored the creek to its natural state.
As work began July 1, a detour steered hikers and bicyclists to nearby sidewalks between 12th Street and 14th Street and near 10th Street and Donovan Avenue.
Work was delayed in August when a diesel pump that was being used to divert water leaked 344 gallons of fuel on Aug. 3 and another 332 gallons on Aug. 7, according to previous Herald reporting.
Heavy rain from a series of atmospheric rivers also caused delays in rebuilding the trail after construction, the city said.
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 1:01 PM.
