Here’s when traffic will slow as state strings cable across I-5 through Bellingham
Drivers on Interstate 5 should expect rolling slowdowns on both northbound and southbound lanes through Bellingham for a project to string cable across the freeway early next week.
Delays are scheduled for overnight Monday, June 20, as utility crews work on aerial fiber crossing Lakeway Drive, the Washington State Department of Transportation said in its weekly traffic report.
Rolling slowdowns are expected from 11:59 p.m. Monday to 4 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, and all on-ramps between Bakerview Road and North Lake Samish will have traffic holds.
These projects will slow drivers locally and along the I-5 corridor south this weekend and in the coming week:
▪ I-405 will be closed between Southeast Eighth Street and Northeast Fourth Street in Bellevue through Monday, June 20, as the Main Street Bridge is demolished. This closure could cause significant delays throughout the weekend in the Seattle area.
▪ Crews will be paving parts of the North Cascades Highway from Rockport to east of Winthrop starting this week. Work will go from east to west and drivers should expect delays. A pilot car will direct traffic through some areas of the work zone and flaggers will direct traffic through other areas. Pilot car operation is limited to a 15-minute maximum hold time.
▪ The left lane of southbound I-5 at North Lake Samish will be closed for cable barrier repair from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, June 20, and Tuesday, June 21.
▪ Delays are possible as work finishes on Mill Avenue east of Samish Way, including completing a pedestrian access ramp. Residents can expect access limits and some traffic delays as the contractor finishes minor asphalt and restoration work. Road closures and one-way access, including along Samish Way, should be expected.
▪ Delays and single-lane closures are likely from mowing and ditch work on Lake Louise Road from Austin Street to Lake Whatcom Boulevard through June 24. Drivers are urged to use Lake Whatcom Boulevard instead.
▪ Artist Point clearing continues, but an opening date could be several weeks away because of heavy snow, WSDOT officials said. Crews reached the parking lot last week.
▪ Marine Drive work continues north of Bellingham with lane closure delays of up to 20 minutes between Alderwood and Locust avenues for the next several weeks. Detour signs are in place.
▪ Expect delays through summer on the North Cascades Highway (Highway 20) from Sedro-Woolley to Newhalem as flood-damage repairs continue.
▪ WSDOT crews will be working on I-5 during weekends all summer long in Seattle.
Work to replace bumpy expansion joints on southbound I-5 began May 20 and plans call for lane closures to start south of I-90, which means drivers will be able to continue south on I-5 or use the “collector/distributor.”
▪ If you’re heading to Canada, officials urge travelers to check border wait times. Early morning hours have less congestion. Travelers should have their ArriveCAN receipt; passport or travel documents, proof of vaccination; and identification for everyone in the vehicle.
