EVERSON, Wash. — Motorists can expect delays on Everson Road (SR544) today while work to temporarily repair damage from the mid-November flood is done near the bridge over the Nooksack River.
Work was scheduled to begin about 11am today, December 22nd, just west of the bridge by a Washington State Department of Transporation contractor crew to complete a temporary realignment of the bridge.
Approximate location of repair work
Everson Police officials said repairs to the northbound lane had been delayed pending an inspection of a culvert under the road by a diver. Access to the culvert required lower water levels and an attempt to quickly lower the water level with pumps was unsuccessful. Divers were able to access the culvert last week and found extensive damage.
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The interim fix will install a second lane on the southwest side of the bridge where the sidewalk is. This will allow for a return to 2-lane traffic and eliminate the need for flaggers and stoplights to alternate traffic through the single lane.
A pedestrian walkway will be added to the east side to provide for pedestrian traffic and delays can be expected over the next several days while this work is completed.
WSDOT officials say a crew is expected to finish additional work on the new temporary realignment in January 2022.
A permanent solution is expected to involve replacing the culvert and its foundation, work that requires the river level to be at late summer seasonal lows. No date has been set for when that work may occur.