 Oct. 8, 2026
We'll close the right lane of northbound Interstate 5 from Samish Way to Sunset Drive/State Route 542 from 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, until 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, in Bellingham.
The lane reduction will allow our maintenance crews to safely replace concrete panels on this section of the roadway. This work needs dry weather and may be rescheduled if rain is forecast.
Expect delays if you're traveling in the area. Please use caution and do your part to keep the road crew safe by slowing down and removing distractions.
 Southbound I-5 switched to a new bridge over Chuckanut Creek in September. Northbound I-5 will move off a temporary bypass road back to its usual alignment overnight Thursday, Oct. 8.
We will reopen the northbound I-5 mainline south of Bellingham on Friday morning, Oct. 9. A temporary two-lane bypass road has been used since June 17 while crews built a new bridge over Chuckanut Creek (milepost 247) as part of a project removing 17 barriers to fish passage near Lake Samish.
Beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, travelers should expect a series of overnight lane reductions and rolling slowdowns north of North Lake Samish Drive (exit 246) while crews remove temporary barriers, restripe lanes and complete the traffic shift. By 5 a.m., the switch to the new fish-passable structure should be complete.
The advisory speed limit through the work zone will remain in effect while crews continue construction in the area. Drivers are encouraged to slow down, stay alert and follow posted signs.
Once the switch is complete, crews will remove the two-lane bypass road northbound traffic used through the summer.
Work will continue on the Chuckanut Creek bridge on Old Samish Road. Crews are installing retaining walls and pouring the deck, approach slabs and barrier before reopening the county road in December.
 Crews have installed a containment system around the western span of the SR 536 Skagit River Bridge in Mount Vernon. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, they began blasting old paint, debris and rust from the structure.
You may have noticed that crews have moved most of the red and white tarps to form a containment system around the western span of the SR 536 Skagit River/Division Street Bridge. This work is part of a preservation project giving the bridge its first new coat of paint since 1990.
On Wednesday, Oct. 7, they began blasting old paint and years of debris and rust from the bridge structure. As you may recall from our work on the larger, eastern span over the summer, this is an important first step. Once the structure is blasted down to the steel, crews can carefully examine each steel piece and repair or replace pieces with corrosion before we begin adding new paint coats to preserve and protect the bridge for years to come.
Once again, we’ll need to close the bridge sidewalk when crews are blasting above the walkway. During these intermittent closures, which could occur between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily, an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant van will be available to shuttle pedestrians, bicyclists and people using mobility devices across the river. All non-emergency eastbound traffic should continue to detour using SR 20 and I-5.
A small section of the containment system remains on the eastern span while we finish work on that section of the bridge structure. The last time the bridge received this important preservation work was in 1990.
We’ll close the southbound I-5 off-ramp to Alger/Lake Samish Road Sunday night, Oct. 11, to install permanent pavement markings. Southbound I-5 also will be reduced to one lane as work near exit 240 continues on a project correcting 17 barriers to fish migration near Lake Samish.
If you’re traveling through the area, expect:
- The southbound I-5 off-ramp to Alger to close from 8 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11. A signed detour will use the southbound I-5 off-ramp to Nulle Road (exit 242).
- The right lane of southbound I-5 to close from 8 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11.
- The left lane of southbound I-5 to close from 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12.
Crews will add permanent lane markings where they installed a new fish-passable box culvert beneath southbound I-5 last summer. The work needs dry weather and may be rescheduled if rain is forecast.
People also should expect overnight lane reductions along northbound I-5 (mileposts 240 to 242) from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Monday, Oct. 12, through Friday morning, Oct. 16, and at the same times Sunday, Oct. 18, through Friday morning, Oct. 23, as crews continue restoring natural habitat along a tributary to Friday Creek.
Pacific Highway will reopen by 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, in both directions between Fourth Avenue Northwest and 236th Street Northeast near Stanwood.
The Snohomish County road has been closed since Feb. 2 as part of our Interstate 5 Secret Creek Fish Passage project. The closure allowed contractor crews to excavate beneath Pacific Highway and remove an outdated culvert that blocked fish migration. In its place, crews built a 40-foot tall, steel-arch culvert that allows fish to swim freely.
The project also installed new fish-passable structures beneath northbound and southbound I-5, restoring access to nearly 5 miles of natural habitat along Secret Creek for native salmon and steelhead.
We often have special events and roadwork taking place in the Northend, including construction projects, maintenance and repairs. We always try to minimize any effects to travel, but sometimes it is necessary to close a lane to do the work or create a safe work zone for our crews.
If you spot our crews, slow down and give them space to work! A huge thanks to our crews for all their hard work.
Want more information? Visit our real time travel center, where these projects and repairs can be found on our travel map, and download our app to receive alerts directly to your smartphone.
|
Whatcom County
Interstate 5
- The northbound I-5 Custer rest area will close from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, for maintenance.
State Route 9
- Northbound and southbound traffic will alternate from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily Friday, Oct. 9, and Monday, Oct. 12, through Friday, Oct. 16, near Rothenbuhler Road (milepost 71-72) for utility work.
State Route 542
- Eastbound and westbound traffic will alternate from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily Monday, Oct. 12, through Thursday, Oct. 15, between Finsrud Road and James Road (mileposts 11-17) for utility work.
State Route 548
- Eastbound and westbound traffic will close from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, between Martin Street and G Street for the 2026 Seaside Bash.
Skagit County
Interstate 5
- The right lane of northbound I-5 and the off-ramp to Kincaid Street (exit 226) will close from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, to 4:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, for maintenance work.
State Route 9
- Northbound and southbound traffic will alternate from 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct.11, through 1 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12, just south of Mount Vernon Big Lake Road (milepost 49) as part of a fish passage project along a tributary to Nookachamps Creek.
Northern Snohomish County
Interstate 5
- The right shoulder of southbound I-5 will close from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. north of the Smokey Point Rest Area (milepost 208) for guardrail repair.
State Route 530
- Eastbound and westbound traffic will alternate from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly Monday, Oct. 5, through Thursday morning, Oct. 8, from Boulder River to 387th Avenue Northeast (mileposts 40-44) for utility work.
David Rasbach
WSDOT communications
david.rasbach@wsdot.wa.gov
|
