I-5 project to ease traffic near Costco is done just in time for Canadian border reopening
A new northbound on-ramp for Interstate 5 at West Bakerview Road opened Friday, Nov. 5, a move that transportation officials hope will ease traffic congestion near Bellingham International Airport and shopping centers in the area.
Drivers headed to Ferndale or Canada from Costco and Fred Meyer can use the new northbound ramp, which is near Pacific Highway on the east side of the freeway.
Those coming from the airport or the west side of the freeway can use the original northbound on-ramp, according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Cost of the project was $10 million, which included $1 million from the city of Bellingham, WSDOT said.
Opening of the new ramp comes as the U.S. prepares to open its land border crossing from Canada to vaccinated travelers on Monday, Nov. 8.
More work is planned in spring 2022, including re-striping lanes on West Bakerview Road and adding a traffic island to prevent eastbound drivers from turning left onto the new northbound on-ramp, WSDOT said.
Additional lane re-striping is planned on Bennett and West Bakerview roads next spring.
Average annual daily traffic for the original northbound on-ramp was about 7,500 cars and trucks in 2019, WSDOT said. More than 30,000 drivers use the four ramps connecting Interstate 5 and West Bakerview Road and that number is expected to rise.
This story was originally published November 5, 2021 at 11:19 AM.
