Whatcom County will lose a popular swimming hole for two summers during bridge construction
A popular swimming hole in southern Whatcom County will be closed for nearly two full summer seasons because long-awaited work on the Lake Samish bridge is expected to get going soon.
Samish Park will close May 13, the Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Department said at its website. That means no swimming, fishing, boating, hiking or weddings and other private functions until August 2025, when the project is expected to be complete.
Space at the park is needed for the contractor to stage equipment to replace the bridge at the north end of the lake.
In addition, there will be intermittent closures for boat traffic under the bridge.
Replacement of the bridge, which was built in 1963, has been sought for several years. It was planned for last summer, but it was delayed because constriction costs were too high.
Since 2016, there have been weight restrictions across the 250-foot span that allow only one car to pass at a time.
Total construction cost is expected to be about $10.34 million, including construction and construction engineering, said project engineer Kevin Thompson of the Whatcom County Public Works Department.
Of that amount, $9.94 million will be reimbursed from grant funds. The remaining $400,000 is funded through Whatcom County local road funds, Thompson told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
This story was originally published April 12, 2024 at 8:00 AM.
