New Electric Avenue bridge mostly funded, but a lengthy closure will be required
An aging bridge that spans the narrow west end of Lake Whatcom can be replaced now that funding has been secured, city of Bellingham officials said Monday.
Closure of the Electric Avenue bridge is likely to start in 2028, according to Mike WIlson, assistant director of the Public Works Department’s engineering division. Design work is moving forward now, he said Monday in a City Council committee session.
“There’s a lot of speculation as to how long this will take. We do anticipate a full shutdown of the bridge as it’s replaced,” Wilson said. “On the aggressive side, we’re hearing engineers suggest as little as four months, which is hard to believe. Others are saying as long as 18 months, which might be hard to believe as well. We’ll keep people informed on that, but we are anticipating a shutdown of that bridge, and there won’t be a bypass for the construction.”
Bellingham has received a grant of almost $10.5 million from the Washington State Department of Transportation against an estimated project cost of $11.8 million. The city will make up the difference.
City Council members voted unanimously Monday night to accept the grant.
Olinger said preliminary work includes permitting for construction in Lake Whatcom and accounting for new sewer and water lines that run under the bridge.
The new bridge will be wider, allowing better access for bicyclists and pedestrians. Currently, there’s only a single sidewalk on the east side of the bridge and no bike lanes.
“The design and permitting phase will begin this April and will involve extensive engineering studies, opportunities for public input, and coordination with various stakeholders,” Public Works spokeman Connor Harron told The Bellingham Herald in an email. “Our goal is to ensure the project results in a sustainable, resilient structure that meets our community’s needs for generations to come. We anticipate construction will begin in spring 2028. The estimated construction timeline and detour routes will be determined after the final design and permits are completed.”
“Critical structural failures” found during an inspection in June 2024 closed the Electric Avenue bridge for several weeks until it opened with a single lane and weight limits.
Drivers were forced to detour using Woburn Street until the bridge opened in September 2024 after temporary repairs shored up rotting timbers.
About 10,500 cars and trucks cross the bridge daily, according to a city of Bellingham traffic count in 2023. It was built in 1959.
Traffic in the area is especially heavy in summer because of the bridge’s proximity to Bloedel-Donovan Park on the shore of Lake Whatcom.
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 5:15 AM.
