I-5 near Alger to reduce to one lane each way starting May 10

Drivers traveling between Burlington and Bellingham on Interstate 5 should prepare for delays this month, according to a news release from the state Department of Transportation.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 10, northbound and southbound I-5 will be reduced to a single lane near the Lake Samish Road interchange (exit 240) for 12 days, lasting through Wednesday, May 22.

The slowdown is part of a fish passage project. According to Transportation, contractor crews will excavate the northbound roadbed, remove an old culvert and install a new structure beneath the northbound lanes to allow fish to move freely under the highway.

During that work, northbound traffic will be rerouted onto a temporary crossover road and run through the existing southbound lanes, with concrete barriers separating the two directions of traffic.

Speed limits in the work zone will drop to 60 mph.

State transportation officials say drivers should expect delays, particularly during busier travel times, and consider alternate routes if possible.

Commercial trucks are advised to use Highway 9. Passenger vehicles can use either Highway 9 or Highway 11/Chuckanut Drive.

In addition, for drivers entering northbound I-5 at Alger, the Lake Samish Road on-ramp closes at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 3, and will remain closed for 28 days.

A signed detour will direct drivers to the Nulle Road on-ramp at exit 242. The off-ramp into Alger will remain open throughout the project.

Once the northbound work wraps up, officials say there will be a break in major construction while FIFA World Cup matches are played in the region from June 12 through July 8, keeping the highway open for fans traveling between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.

After the tournament concludes, construction will resume with a similar project beneath the southbound lanes, with northbound and southbound I-5 again reduced to one lane in each direction for 15 days in July. Specific dates for that work have not yet been announced.

The project is part of a broader effort to correct 17 fish passage barriers along I-5 near Lake Samish.

For real-time traffic conditions, drivers can check the state Department of Transportation travel map or download the agency's mobile app.

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