Northbound I-5 near Bellingham has an expected reopening date. Here’s when
The Washington State Department of Transportation on Friday announced that northbound Interstate 5 will likely reopen south of Bellingham at 5 a.m. Thursday, April 16. A March 19 landslide sent an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 cubic yards (about 5,000 to 6,000 tons) of debris down 60 to 80 feet onto the freeway.
The announcement came in a Friday morning press release from WSDOT after nearly a month of crews working seven days a week to clear the road.
“This has been complex, high-risk work that required a methodical top-down approach,” said Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith in the news release. “Our focus from day one has been to reopen the highway as quickly as possible, but only when we can do so safely.”
More than 1,000 cubic yards of material was removed from the site the night of April 8, according to an April 9 social media post from WSDOT.
One issue that had been preventing travel was unstable, bus-sized boulder above the road. As of April 8, the large boulder had been broken up and removed, although several slightly smaller boulders remain on the slope.
Northbound I-5 traffic is being diverted to Samish Way at Exit 246. Drivers can rejoin the interstate at the Samish Way on-ramp at Exit 252.
Southbound I-5 rolling slowdown Sunday morning
People traveling on southbound Interstate 5 near Bellingham should plan for a delay during a rolling slowdown scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Sunday, April 12.
The slowdown is needed so contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation can dislodge a large, loose rock that can’t be anchored along northbound I-5. This work is part of an emergency project to stabilize the slope and clear debris following a March 19 slide that forced the closure of northbound I-5.
At about 8 a.m. Sunday, April 12, WSDOT maintenance crews will slow all lanes of southbound I-5 near Samish Way (exit 252). The Samish Way and State Route 11/Old Fairhaven Parkway (exit 250) on-ramps to southbound I-5 will close at the same time.
This story was originally published April 10, 2026 at 10:19 AM.
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