Officials with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said at 12:45pm today, September 1st, that all I-5 northbound lanes at Lake Samish Road at the Alger interchange were blocked due to a collision.
As of 1:20pm, traffic was backed up to the Bow Hill interchange.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Jacob Kennett said this was a multi-vehicle collision involving a motorcycle and the extent of any injuries were not immediately known.
Traffic was being diverted off northbound I-5 at the Bow Hill interchange.
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Kennett told Whatcom News they were dispatched about 12:30pm. Their investigation found that a Ford Transit van driven by a 21-year-old Bellingham man was approaching a slowdown in a construction zone when it failed to slow and crashed into 2 motorcycles and 2 pickup trucks.
The 2 motorcyclists were transported to Skagit Valley Hospital, 1 with critical injuries according to Kennett. The other 3 drivers were uninjured.
As of 1:50pm, WSDOT reported 1 lane had been reopened.
As of 2:25pm, the traffic backup reached Burlington, a distance of 10 miles.
WSDOT announced both lanes had been reopened by 2:45pm. The traffic backup was reportedly 8 miles long at the time.
According to a WSP press memo, charges are pending against the driver of the Ford Transit van. The cause of the crash was cited as inattentive driving.
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