UPDATE: Northbound I-5 remains closed south of Bellingham as work continues

Workers started at the top of the slide. Photo courtesy WSDOT

No estimate for reopening lanes after March 19 slide

BELLINGHAM – Northbound Interstate 5 remains closed south of Bellingham, while work continues seven days a week to stabilize the slope and clear debris. Travelers should continue to expect delays in the area and consider alternate routes.

There is no estimate when northbound I-5 will reopen, but the Washington State Department of Transportation and its contractor are working to open lanes as quickly as it is safe to do so. 

Northbound lanes have been closed since a March 19, 2026 slide sent more than 3,000 cubic yards of boulders, trees and other debris 60 to 80 feet down a slope toward I-5. An emergency contract was executed, and contractor crews began work Saturday, March 21.

Stabilizing the slope
Contractor crews continue to drill holes in the rock face in a pattern designed by geotechnical engineers to anchor steel dowels 15 to 25 feet deep to help stabilize the slope. As of Friday morning, April 3, crews had drilled more than 700 linear feet and three specialized drilling teams were on site.

The geotechnical engineers continually re-evaluate the slope and adjust plans throughout this meticulous process. This work requires precision and may need to be repeated, as crews closely inspect the slope while working from top to bottom.

Crews split the “bus-sized” boulders in the debris pile into smaller pieces, repeating the process until the boulder pieces are small enough to remove.

No one was hurt when the hillside collapsed but three vehicles were caught in the mudslide.