A 6.5-kilometer section of northbound Interstate 5 near Bellingham, Washington, will reopen to traffic on Thursday, April 16, at about 5 a.m. The road had been closed since March 19 after a large landslide that blocked the lanes. Drivers have been using detours via Highway 11 (Chuckanut Drive) or Highway 9 during the closure.
The landslide was impressive in scale: the volume of displaced material was comparable to an Olympic swimming pool, and among the debris was a boulder larger than a bus. Crews cleared the debris and reinforced the slope by hand, using drilling rigs and steel anchors to stabilize loose rock. Work was carried out cautiously from the top down to avoid triggering additional collapses.
On Sunday morning, April 14, southbound I-5 drivers should expect temporary slowdowns while crews remove the largest rock fragments, including that giant boulder. The final reopening of the road depends on the results of geotechnical inspections. If problems are found, the schedule could change, so for now the northbound lanes remain closed.
Based on: Northbound Interstate 5 near Bellingham to reopen April 16