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WSDOT: I‑5 northbound lanes expected to reopen Thursday morning after major slope stabilization
Summary
WSDOT briefed the council on emergency response to an I‑5 slope failure that closed northbound lanes in March; officials said drilling, anchoring and removal of approximately 6,300 cubic yards of material positions the corridor for a Thursday 5 a.m. reopening pending final inspection and noted a planned after‑action review with local agencies.
Washington State Department of Transportation staff updated the Bellingham City Council committee of the whole on the I‑5 northbound slope failure and emergency response efforts after a March 19 slide that closed the northbound lanes.
"I‑5, both lanes northbound will be open by this Thursday at 5AM," WSDOT Assistant Regional Administrator Melissa Ambler said, adding the timetable depends on final inspections. Geotechnical consultant Britt Veil and other specialists described a rapid stabilization program that included scaling, drilling, grouting and excavation.
WSDOT described the scale of the slide and response: the failure zone measured roughly 250 feet wide and 100 feet high; crews removed about 6,300 cubic yards of material (roughly two Olympic swimming pools) and mobilized three drill rigs and multiple specialty contractors. The project used more than 2,060 linear feet of steel anchors (No. 10) with grout to stabilize the slope. Drilling and grouting were complete and crews were finalizing inspections at the time of the briefing.
Ambler and consultants also reviewed detour and traffic coordination: the northbound closure used Samish Way as a detour for general traffic while freight was routed to SR‑9 via SR‑20 signage; WSDOT and Washington State Patrol coordinated enforcement and messaging but said Samish Way did not carry legal weight restrictions for freight. WSDOT reported intensive outreach during the closure — travel advisories, site briefings with media and elected officials, and social media updates — and said social posts generated about 9.6 million impressions and more than 500,000 engagements.
Council members asked about long‑term stability of adjacent slopes and lessons learned to improve contingency plans for detours and freight. Ambler said WSDOT plans an after‑action meeting with Whatcom County, Bellingham and other stakeholders to craft contingency plans, signage and traffic‑management protocols for future incidents.
WSDOT said scheduled maintenance and a fish‑passage project near the slide area will continue as planned and that drivers should expect intermittent lane work even after the northbound lanes reopen.
