UPDATED BELOW with the reason for the backup, then a severe accident (or two) happened in the backup and when to expect things to get better.
Original Story
Not sure why but northbound traffic on I-5 is backed up from Portal Way all the way to Slater Road.
Commuters would be well-advised to take alternate routes.
UPDATE 5:20pm
According to the contractor, WSDOT had fielded several complaints from drivers regarding the abrupt edges on bumps on the roadway just north of the Nooksack River bridge as a result of the milling done overnight. Drivers were not slowing as directed by big electronic signs in the area and were hitting the edge bumps at too high a speed.
Click for more informationAs a result of the number of complaints, this afternoon WSDOT requested the project contractor’s work crews, who were scheduled to resume work at 7pm, reduce traffic to one lane in the area as soon as possible in order to slow traffic and minimize the potential risks of damage and accidents.
Work will resume as scheduled at 7pm that will resurface the roadway, covering the bumps that were the cause for concern.
UPDATE 5:30pm
The backup continues to worsen and aid has been called to a serious accident on northbound I-5 by the Slater Road interchange.
The backup extends to the Bakerview Road interchange and traffic is being reduced to one lane in the area of the accident.
Click for more information
Click for more informationThe reduction to one lane at the Nooksack River bridge before Portal Way is going to remain in place through the evening. Drivers can expect this significant delay to continue until traffic volumes drop later. According to the Discover Ferndale Traffic page, what normally is a 9 minute commute is now a 23 minute commute.
UPDATE 6:55pm
Aid crews are just beginning to clear from the accident scene blocking both lanes of northbound I-5 at Slater Road. It appears from the WSDOT camera that the vehicles involved remain blocking the lanes and traffic is inching by via the emergency curtain on the side of the roadway. The backup from the Portal Way interchange now ends just short of Smith Road but there a backup stretches from the Slater Road interchange accident scene almost to Bakerview Road.
Side streets were no better as people heeded the advice to pursue alternate routes and Main Street was a solid line of slow moving vehicles westbound into the downtown streets stretching back past I-5 onto W Axton into the Deer Creek neighborhood.