Recent financial support for elevating Slater Road announced by government official

FERNDALE, Wash. — On average, Slater Road is closed about 5 days a year due to flood water and debris over the roadway during high Nooksack River levels. Washington’s Second Congressional District Representative Rick Larsen’s office recently issued a press release noting that, among other recipients, $8 million had been earmarked for the Lummi Indian Nation to be put forth toward a project to raise Slater Road above the flood water.

The money is in the Fiscal Year 2024 spending package which the House approved by a final vote of 339 to 85 and the Senate approved by a final vote of 75 to 22. The package awaits the President to sign it into law.

Typically, Marine Drive, which runs parallel to Slater Road, also floods during these incidents. These 2 closures can leave residents and businesses on Lummi Peninsula and Lummi Island relatively stranded. In addition, others using Slater Road to reach residences and businesses further west are diverted to alternate routes that have been overwhelmed at times by the additional traffic.

The press release said the project would “elevate approximately 1,900 linear feet of Slater Road by 12 feet to reduce flooding and congestion.”

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The time required to complete the project, which has yet to be designed, is estimated to take over a year according to initial estimates.

In 2022, it was announced $14 million had been earmarked for the same project.

According to Washington State’s 2023-25 Transportation Budget (including 2024 Supplemental), the cost for the project according to the Washington State Department of Transportation is $14 million.

Recent meetings of the Whatcom Council of Governments Transportation Advisory Board have included discussions about expanding the scope of the project to accommodate impacts on surrounding communities and roads, including Marine Drive. These monthly meetings are attended by representatives of Whatcom County, Lummi Indian Nation, several Whatcom County cities, Port of Bellingham and Whatcom Transit Authority.