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Crews continue to clear debris on NB I-5 south of Bellingham, still no timeline for reopening

Crews continue to clear debris on NB I-5 south of Bellingham, still no timeline for reopening

Photo: Saga Communications/Dianna Hawryluk


BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Northbound I-5 south of Bellingham remains closed with no estimated timeline for reopening.

In its latest update issued on Tuesday, March 31, WSDOT says crews are still working to stabilize the slope.

Drilling equipment has arrived on the site and crews will install steel dowels into the slope for stabilization so they can safely clear debris.

Some of the rocks are too big to move with equipment, so crews are cracking them into smaller, more manageable pieces.

WSDOT says the unpredictable and changing conditions of the hillside make it impossible to announce any timeline yet for when the road could reopen. Traffic is still being pushed off at the North Lake Samish exit, but the agency is encouraging drivers to use Chuckanut Drive or Highway 9 to avoid major congestion.

Freight traffic is being diverted to Highway 9.

WSDOT says there haven’t been any impacts to SB I-5, but travelers may notice some temporary fencing as a precaution to keep more rocks from reaching the road.

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