Bellingham’s James Street bridge set to re-open as closure looms for another
Work on the James Street bridge over Whatcom Creek is nearing completion, with paving set to start this week as part of an $11 million effort to replace two bridges along a key truck and commuter route on the edge of downtown Bellingham.
Once James Street is paved, that bridge will open and the nearby Meador Avenue bridge will close for paving around June 23, Public Works Department spokeswoman Torhil Ramsay told The Herald.
Then, both bridges will be open.
“Pedestrian access will be maintained along sidewalks in the area. Both bridges should be open by the end of June. Some remaining work may require temporary lane closures, but both roads will stay open once paving is complete,” Ramsay told The Herald in an email.
Construction on both bridges, which are around the corner from one another, began in spring of 2024. There were alternating closures that kept one of the two bridges open at a time, according to previous Herald reporting.
Both bridges were closed for several days during and after the torrential rain of November 2021 so officials inspect damage from raging water in Whatcom Creek. The bridges date to 1962 and have “structural deficiencies,” according to the city.
James Street north of Meador Avenue carried 6,900 cars daily in 2023, according to a city traffic survey. Meador Avenue west of James carried 3,200 cars a day.
State and federal grants covered most of the project’s cost, according to previous Herald reporting.
This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM.
