Traffic Report: SR 20 opens; Lynden roundabout; Ferndale repaving; I-5 updates
Repairs to the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20) finished Sunday, June 14 and the highway is now open, according to a social media post from the Washington State Department of Transportation. Last month, WSDOT officials stated the goal was to open the highway by the Fourth of July. Then on June 9, officials announced repairs were ahead of schedule and the highway would reopen June 19, but crews wrapped up work earlier than expected.
The North Cascades Highway is the closest road over the Cascades Mountains for residents of Bellingham and Whatcom County. WSDOT closes the highway over the mountain pass every fall or winter because of avalanche danger. It usually opens again in April or May, but a series of winter storms damaged a six-mile stretch of the highway from the Canyon Creek Trailhead to Granite Creek, between mileposts 142 and 148.
Construction of another Lynden roundabout will begin at the intersection of State Route 546 and Benson Road starting Thursday, June 18. The intersection will be closed June 21-27 for construction. Access to homes and businesses in the area will be possible by taking different routes, according to WSDOT. An official signed detour will be in place for passenger vehicles using Main Street, while freight traffic should use 539/Guide Meridian, SR 544/East Pole Road and SR 9/Nooksack Avenue during the six-day closure.
The Ferndale intersection at Thorton Street and Church Road will be closed Tuesday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 17, for maintenance while city crews grind and repave the road. The closure will only be in place during the day from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Artist Point opened Wednesday, June 10 after two weeks of clearing efforts by WSDOT crews. The final 2.7 miles of Mount Baker Highway has been closed for the winter season since Oct. 15
Interstate 5
- Northbound and Southbound I-5 has switched to a temporary two-lane bypass near Chuckanut Creek. The bypass will be used through September as WSDOT crews install a new fish-passage beneath the interstate. Old Samish Road is being used as the two-lane bypass lanes for southbound traffic. The road will remain closed for the rest of the year, even after the highway work is complete, to install part of the fish passage.
James Street in Bellingham has been closed since Monday, June 8 for a $5.3 million project to give bicyclists and people on foot easier access from the growing King Mountain neighborhood to nearby parks and shopping. The road will remain closed until June 29.
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.
State Route 9: Northbound and southbound traffic will alternate from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Nugents Corner to South Pass Road (mileposts 84 to 90) for a paving project beginning Monday, June 15. The project will complete sometime in August, according to WSDOT. Travelers can expect flaggers to direct traffic through work zones.
Mount Baker Highway (State Route 542)
- Eastbound and westbound traffic will alternate from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Sunday, June 14, through Thursday morning, June 18, near First Street (milepost 13) in Deming for utility work.
- Eastbound and westbound traffic will alternate from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, June 15-17, and from 7 a.m. to noon Thursday, June 18, between Casey Road and Cornell Creek Road (mileposts 23-31) for utility work.
- Eastbound and westbound traffic will alternate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, June 15-18, in Glacier (mileposts 33-34) for soil sampling for an upcoming project.
State Route 547
- Northbound and southbound traffic will alternate from 9 p.m. Thursday, June 18, to 5 a.m. Friday, June 19, near Reese Hill Road for utility work.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Traffic Report: SR 20 opens; Lynden roundabout; Ferndale repaving; I-5 updates."
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