Open house to address roundabout work in Bellingham’s Birchwood neighborhood
Community input is being sought for a long-planned roundabout at the intersection of Meridian Street, Birchwood Avenue and Squalicum Parkway.
It’s one of the busiest crossings in the city, and drivers often wait through two or three traffic light cycles at rush hour.
“Anyone who travels this corridor knows these intersections can be frustrating, particularly during peak travel times. The goal is to improve safety, reduce congestion and make it easier for people driving, biking and walking to move through this busy stretch,” the city said Thursday in its weekly “Inside Bellingham” newsletter.
“These intersections currently experience major congestion and serve as key connections between the waterfront, the port of Bellingham and Interstate 5,” according to a web page dedicated to the project.
Meridian Street carries 24,400 cars and trucks daily north of the Birchwood-Squalicum intersection, and 11,800 vehicles south, according to a 2023 city traffic survey.
Birchwood Avenue has a daily traffic volume of 6,800 vehicles west of Meridian and 8,200 east of the intersection. Squalicum Parkway, which is a truck route to the waterfront, has a daily traffic volume of 5,550.
An open house on the project is planned for 6 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 4, at Parkview Elementary School, 3030 Cornwall Ave.
In addition, a page at the Engage Bellingham website solicits public comment on the project. An online survey will be open through Sunday, March 15.
According to drawings included with the proposal, the roundabout will include a realignment of Birchwood Avenue and Squalicum Parkway west of Meridian Street, funneling those two roadways into a single street as it enters the roundabout.
A project timeline shows construction is expected to start in late 2027, after design work and permitting applications are complete.
There was no estimate of cost, where funding will come from, a timeline for completion or plans for moving traffic through the Meridian-Birchwood-Squaicum Parkway corridor during construction.
Plans call for a “multimodal” roundabout, meaning that it will provide access for pedestrians and bicycles.
Further, the project will include a realignment of Tributary W of Squalicum Creek as part of ongoing efforts to improve water flow for endangered native salmon.
