Traffic

Monthlong closure for Smith-Hannegan roundabout construction is just around the corner

Electronic signage was posted to warn drivers to expect delays near E. Smith Road and Hannegan Road on May 29, 2024, in Whatcom County, Wash. Construction was expected to begin on the intersection on May 29 to convert it into a multi-lane roundabout designed to enhance multimodal safety and improve traffic flow.
Electronic signage was posted to warn drivers to expect delays near E. Smith Road and Hannegan Road on May 29, 2024, in Whatcom County, Wash. Construction was expected to begin on the intersection on May 29 to convert it into a multi-lane roundabout designed to enhance multimodal safety and improve traffic flow. The Bellingham Herald

Whatcom County has set the closing dates for the Smith-Hannegan intersection as part of a roundabout project for one of two main north-south roads to and from Bellingham.

Work on the long-awaited project began in late May, but the intersection stayed open with delays during the day.

But a full 24-hour closure with a detour will be July 8 through Aug. 7, the county Public Works Department said in an emailed statement Friday.

“Signs and barricades will warn travelers that they cannot pass through the work zone. This will be an active construction site; please do not attempt to move or go around the barricades, Public Works said in the statement.

“Area residents should expect a temporary influx of traffic on through streets around the project site,” Public Works said.

The intersection is one of the busier crossings in rural Whatcom County.

Traffic counts from 2019 show Hannegan Road had a daily volume of 13,300 cars and trucks at the Smith Road intersection, and Smith Road had a daily volume of 7,800.

A map shows a detour around the construction site for a roundabout at Smith and Hannegan roads.
A map shows a detour around the construction site for a roundabout at Smith and Hannegan roads. Whatcom County Public Works Department Courtesy to The Bellingham Herald
Robert Mittendorf
The Bellingham Herald
Robert Mittendorf covers civic issues, weather, traffic and how people are coping with the high cost of housing for The Bellingham Herald. A journalist since 1984, he also served 22 years as a volunteer firefighter for South Whatcom Fire Authority before retiring in 2025.
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