The planned summerlong closure of a portion of Mount Baker Highway will begin Monday, June 5, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
Initially scheduled to start May 30, the closure is needed to construct a new single-span bridge and replace a fish barrier along Mount Baker Highway.
The closure will affect all lanes of the highway between Britton and Noon roads and is expected to last up to 105 days. Construction of the project is planned to be completed in November.
Drivers traveling east of Bellingham will need to seek alternate routes, and detours will be clearly marked.
Additional closures will be implemented at certain intersections to deter motorists from bypassing detour routes. These intersections include Kelly and Hannegan roads; Van Wyck and Hannegan roads; and Van Wyck and Noon roads.
WSDOT also announced additional traffic safety measures that will be put in place for the duration of the road closure; the speed limit on Hannegan Road will be reduced to 35 mph and a temporary traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of East Smith and Everson Goshen roads.
The new bridge will replace a 6-by-6-foot box culvert currently in its place, which disrupts fish passage through Squalicum Creek. The new, 150-foot bridge will instead be fish-passable and allow for improved habitat for native species of fish like pink, chum and coho salmon, as well as cutthroat trout.
The bridge construction is part of WSDOT’s broader effort to improve fish passage throughout Washington state by reconnecting streams and removing barriers.
