Whatcom County I-5 lane closures begin soon for WSDOT culvert replacement
Motorists using Interstate 5 should expect delays starting this weekend on southbound lanes in Whatcom County and northbound lanes in Snohomish County, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The delays are necessary as crews work on a pair of fish passage projects.
In Whatcom County, motorists can expect the southbound I-5 lane and ramp to begin shutting down near the North Lake Samish Drive exit at 8 p.m. Sunday June 29. Traffic will move through a temporary two-lane bypass in the median starting around 5 a.m. Monday, June 30. Speed will be reduced to 50 mph in the bypass lanes.
Meanwhile, crews will be working to remove an old culvert and replace it with a new one that will be a passage for fish, part of a three-year project to remove 17 barriers to fish along 6-mile stretch in Whatcom and Skagit counties.
The work will be completed at some point in July, and traffic lanes will return to normal in the area, WSDOT said.
Snohomish County slowdowns will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, and last through 5 a.m. Wednesday, July 2.
The work was originally scheduled for 5 a.m. Friday, June 27, but it was delayed due to weather conditions, according to a post made by WSDOT on Friday afternoon.
Traffic will again shift to use a two-lane bypass built in the median, with speed reduced to 60 mph in the work zone.
This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 9:37 AM.
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