Bellingham City Council approves a new roundabout, coming to city’s north side in the spring
A busy intersection on Bellingham’s north side will be getting a roundabout next year, addressing safety concerns and rush-hour backups for left turns.
City Council members unanimously approved on Monday night a 24-hour work schedule over 50 days in April and May and agreed to a $4.25 million construction contract to build a roundabout replacing the traffic signals at the intersection of James Street and East Bakerview Road.
“I’m really happy to see that this is happening. That area is horrific in high-traffic times,” Councilwoman Lisa Anderson said during committee discussion Monday afternoon.
Joel Pfundt, interim co-director of the Public Works Department, said the city is trying to minimize traffic disruptions with the round-the-clock schedule.
“There are limited alternatives for drivers in the area so it will be impactful. It’s designed to rip the Band-Aid off quickly, so to speak,” Pfundt said.
According to a traffic survey in 2023, Bakerview Road carries about 11,700 cars and trucks daily at James Street, while James Street carries about 9,600.
The James and Bakerview intersection “currently presents safety concerns” in the King Mountain neighborhood, according to the city’s website.
“As development continues and traffic volumes increase, intersection level of service and delay will continue to degrade with the potential for increased risk of traffic collisions,” the city said.
During construction, crews plan to close the section of James Street south of Bakerview for about 10 days and the northern part of James Street for 15 days. The James Street closures will be at separate times.
Bakerview will have single-lane and shoulder closures throughout the project and flaggers will direct traffic.
