Project news

• The left lanes of northbound and southbound I-5 will be closed between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday, June 1, to Friday, June 5.
• Southbound I-5 will reduce to one lane 24 hours a day June 15-20.
• Bicyclists who use I-5 between SR 548/Grandview Road (exit 266) and Birch Bay-Lynden Road (exit 270) need to detour via Portal Way, just west of I-5..
• For information on this, and other Whatcom County highway projects, subscribe to weekly email updates.

Needs & benefits

Starting in spring 2020, Washington State Department of Transportation contractor crews will replace culverts in two different waterways leading to California Creek in Whatcom County.

One series of culverts funnel a tributary to California Creek under I-5 near Willeys Lake Road and the south end of Grandview Golf Course. WSDOT contractor crews will replace one culvert under the southbound lanes, one under the northbound lanes and another under Zell Road.

The other barrier this project will correct is at SR 548/Grandview Road and Portal Way. At each location, the water runs too quickly through the culverts, making them impassable for migrating fish trying to reach spawning grounds.

WSDOT has long recognized the importance of minimizing transportation’s effect on our environment. In 1991, WSDOT gained legislative support to create a program dedicated to correcting barriers that restrict or block salmon and trout access to historic spawning and rearing grounds.

Removing these barriers can improve fish access to miles of upstream and downstream habitat. This is an important component of protecting and restoring fish populations in the Salish Sea.

Once this project is completed in fall 2020, 6.5 miles of additional spawning habitat will be accessible for migratory salmon, trout, steelhead and other aquatic species.

What to expect

This work will require lane or highway closures lasting about a week at each location. During these closures, travelers should plan ahead and allow extra travel time for detours or heavier traffic in one direction of I-5.

I-5
Both directions of I-5 will remain open at all times, although traffic in one direction at a time will be reduced to one lane. Contractor crews will build a temporary lane in the median between northbound and southbound I-5. In mid June crews will shift southbound traffic onto the temporary lane for six days to build a new culvert under that direction of I-5. In late June, the northbound traffic will shift onto the temporary lane for six days.

Zell Road
In July, Zell Road north of Willeys Lake Road will close for nine days to build a culvert under the roadway. A signed detour will be in place. WSDOT is doing this work because Zell Road is located within WSDOT’s right-of-way.

SR 548/Grandview Road
In August, the intersection of SR 548 and Portal Way will close for five days to build a new culvert. A signed detour will be in place. Only local traffic will be allowed on Portal Way between Birch Bay-Lynden Road and SR 548, and north of Brown Road and SR 548. 

Timeline

Winter 2019: Awarded project to Kiewit.
June 15-20, 2020: Southbound I-5 reduced to one lane 24 hours a day between Birch Bay-Lynden Road and SR 548.
Late June 2020: Northbound I-5 reduced to one lane for five days between SR 548 and Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
July 2020: Zell Road closed for nine days north of Willeys Lake Road.
August 2020: The intersection of SR 548 and Portal Way closed for five days.
Fall 2020: Construction complete.