BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Officials with the Washington State Department of Transportation advise drivers to expect delays tomorrow, Thursday, September 16th, while a lane of northbound I-5 though Bellingham is closed between 9am and 5pm.
The right lane of northbound I-5 in the area of the W Bakerview Road interchange will be closed to permit WSDOT’s contractor to pave a new northbound on-ramp under construction.
WSDOT will add a second northbound I-5 on-ramp on the east side of the freeway at the Bakerview Road interchange to increase access from the eastside of the area. The existing ramp on the west side will remain for those heading northbound approaching from the west. The addition of this ramp will reduce westbound trips across the West Bakerview Road bridge. Changes to the current configuration will also provide more room for eastbound travelers.WSDOT website – I-5 – Northbound On-Ramp at Bakerview project page
Work on the $11-million project began in May and is expected to be completed and the on-ramp opened later this fall.
WSDOT officials said the existing on-ramp from the west side of I-5 was built with the overpass in 1975 due to expectations that W Maplewood Avenue would become a heavily traveled main arterial.