WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — Both lanes of northbound I-5 south of Bellingham reopened today, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 27 days since a landslide closed a section of the interstate between mileposts 248 and 249.
This is a day sooner than recent estimates.
The landslide occurred at about 9:30pm March 19, 2026. A section of slope approximately 250 feet long and 100 feet tall deposited thousands of cubic yards of debris onto the roadway. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) executed an emergency contract March 21, 2026, to begin clearing and stabilization efforts.
Crews worked 7 days a week to remove approximately 7,000 cubic yards of debris and perform stabilization work including the following.
- specialized crews rappelling the slope to dislodge loose rock
- drilling 2,065 linear feet of holes into the rock face
- anchoring 96 steel dowels at depths of 15 to 25 feet
Geotechnical engineers performed a final inspection to confirm slope stability prior to reopening the lanes on April 15, 2026.
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