Traffic Report: Artist Point update; I-5 closures and detours; SR 20 slide work
Crews began clearing the last 2.7 miles of Mount Baker Highway to Artist Point on Wednesday, May 27. The road has been closed for the season since Oct. 15. Last year, Artist Point opened June 27 after nearly a month of clearing efforts by WSDOT crews.
Interstate 5
- The right lane of northbound I-5 will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. every night between Sunday, May 31 to Friday morning, June 5 near North Lake Samish for fish passage construction.
- On May 28, southbound I-5 switched 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. The speed limit is reduced to 50 mph 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.
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 west side closure point at milepost 130 has been moved forward to milepost 131, which has provided access to the Diablo Lake Vista Point and the Ross Dam Trailhead.
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.
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 June 1, 2026 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Traffic Report: Artist Point update; I-5 closures and detours; SR 20 slide work."
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