FERNDALE, Wash. — City of Ferndale officials say the 18-month preload phase of the project has been completed and work can begin on the actual bridge.
Preloading uses large mounds of direct to compress the soil beneath, stabilizing it so there is less settling after construction.
The $25 million Thornton Street overpass project, once completed, will provide the second access route into Ferndale from I-5 that is not impacted by railroad traffic. The other such route is Main Street.
Initially planned to be an overpass over BNSF railroad tracks to the west of I-5 and extending across I-5 to Portal Way to the east, it was redesigned into a less-expensive configuration taking traffic over the tracks to a siding road on the west side of I-5.
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Click for more informationWork began in April 2020 foregoing a traditional groundbreaking due to COVID-19 health mandates.
Construction of the bridge is expected to begin within 2 months and continue for the remainder of the project. This will also include remaining utility work, paving and pedestrian improvements according to city officials.
A project to rebuild a section of Thornton Street between Vista Drive and Malloy Drive approaching the overpass is also scheduled to begin soon.
Both projects are on target for completion in 2023.
I’m gonna guess and predict that Ferndale will soon be called “Metallidale”, because of the bridges. I guarantee the Thornton St. overpass will get the same artistic treatment as the rail trestle and the closing music for this video.