Traffic Report: Ski to Sea restrictions; Interstate 5 latest; SR 9 utility work
The Washington State Department of Transportation is warning travelers to expect delays over Memorial Day weekend, especially during the annual Ski to Sea race in Whatcom County.
Ski to Sea: Several travel notices in Whatcom County are in effect during the Ski to Sea Race on Sunday, May 24.
- Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) will be closed from Silver Lake Road to the Mt. Baker Ski Area (mileposts 25-55) from 7:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- The State Route 547 intersection with South Pass Road will be controlled by police from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Racers will be on the roadway with police controlling intersections on State Route 544 from North Washington Street to West Main Road.
Interstate 5
- The left lane of northbound and southbound I-5 will close every night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, May 26 to Friday, May 29 near Lake Samish Road near Alger for fish passage construction.
- The Lake Samish Road on-ramp to northbound I-5 is closed through May 31.
- At 8 p.m. Thursday, May 28, southbound I-5 will switch to a temporary two-lane bypass through Old Samish Road, which is closed to through-traffic near Chuckanut Creek. The road will remain closed for the rest of the year, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The northbound lanes will shift to the bypass in the middle of June. Rolling slowdowns will begin on southbound I-5 from 11:59 p.m. May 28 to 5 a.m. Friday, May 29 to shift traffic onto the bypass road. The speed limit will be reduced to 50 miles per hour in the work area for as long as the bypass is being used this summer. The closure is in place so crews working for WSDOT can remove a barrier to fish migration along Chuckanut Creek located under Interstate 5.
- The right lane of north and southbound I-5 near North Lake Samish (mileposts 245 to 247) will close every night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Tuesday, May 26, and Thursday, May 28 to correct a fish passage.
- The rest areas in Custer, will close from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 30, both northbound and southbound.
State Route 9 will alternate northbound and southbound traffic from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 and Thursday, May 28 for utility work. The closure will be from south of Mosquito Lake Road to north of Stand Road.
State Route 547 will alternate traffic northbound and southbound from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 26 for utility work. The road will be closed west of Frost Road.
North Cascades Highway (State Route 20) is closed in both directions in two places due to a rock slide at Colonial Creek Campground at milepost 130 to the Ross Dam Trailhead at milepost 134, and damage from a washout between Canyon Creek Trailhead and Granite Creek (mileposts 142-148).
The current goal is to reopen in both directions by June 25, 10 days earlier than the previous reopening estimate of July 4.
The Washington Department of Transportation encourages people to avoid areas that have rockfall or washouts as it is still heavily damaged. The highway remains an active work zone and no access is permitted for anyone, hikers, bikers and camper included.
WSDOT is working with two contractor crews, who are working when it is safe to do so 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
According to WSDOT, the road is so damaged that clearing enough of the highway to open a single lane of traffic is difficult, and would take about as long as it would to simply clear all the lanes.
East Pole Road (State Route 544) will be closed east and westbound between Robinson Street and Everson Road until July 3 for a city of Everson sidewalk project. A temporary detour is in place.
The final 2 miles of Mount Baker Highway (State Route 542) to Artist Point remain closed for the season since Oct. 15. The road to Artist Point closes every year in mid-October and is reopened in the summer. Last year Artist Point opened June 27 after nearly a month of clearing efforts by WSDOT crews.
Whatcom County
The following roads are currently closed or under construction in Whatcom County. An interactive map on the status of Whatcom County roads is available at the county’s website, which was last updated May 12.
Closed
- Sunset Avenue west of Graveline Road
- Marshall Hill Road east of Cronk Road
- Seamount Drive between Vista Drive and Malloy Avenue in Ferndale will be closed to through traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 19 due to work associated with a private development project, according to the city of Ferndale.
Restricted
- Academy Road from the 2100 block to the dead end is reduced to a single lane.
- Bayon Road north of Marine Drive has water of the roadway.
- Bowman Road off Saxon Road is a rough road and motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Chief Martin Road between Scott Road and Cagey Road is a rough road and motorcycles use extreme caution.
- Clearbrook Road east of Nooksack Road is a rough road and motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Custer School Road north of Creasey Road is a rough road and motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Drayton Harbor Road west of Blaine Road has an abrupt lane edge.
- Drayton Harbor Road west of Shintaffer Road is one lane. Drivers should be prepared to stop.
- Gulf Road south of Henry Road is reduced to one lane. Motorists should be prepared to stop and motorcycles should use caution.
- Hampton Road west of Slotemaker Road has an abrupt lane edge.
- Harborview Road south of Birch Bay Lynden Road is a rough road and motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Hillaire Road north of Kwina Road is a rough road and motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Innis Creek Road south of Doran Road has water of the roadway.
- Jackman Road north of H Street Road has an abrupt lane edge.
- Martin Road near the bridge is reduced to one lane. Motorists should be prepared to stop.
- Minaker Road west of Vedder View Lane is a rough road and motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Nolte Road east of Van Dyk Road is a rough road and motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Park Road at the 4700 block is a rough road with loose gravel. Motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- Slotemaker Road at the 8100 block has an abrupt lane edge.
- Sorenson Road west of Breckenridge Road has loose gravel, is a rough road with an advisory speed. Motorcycles should use extreme caution.
- South Pass Road east of North Pass Road has an abrupt lane edge.
- Summerland Road south of West Lake Samish Drive has an abrupt lane edge.
- West Shore Drive at Legoe Bay Road is reduced to one lane. Motorists should be prepared to stop. The road is rough and motorcycles are advised to use extreme caution.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 11:44 AM with the headline "Traffic Report: Ski to Sea restrictions; Interstate 5 latest; SR 9 utility work."
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