WSDOT says crews have completed the lower portion of a new fish-passable crossing beneath southbound I-5 and have started work on the upper section. Traffic remains reduced to one lane in each direction while construction continues on the $159.6 million salmon habitat restoration project. (Photo: WSDOT)
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Drivers traveling on Interstate 5 between Whatcom and Skagit counties should continue to expect delays after the Washington State Department of Transportation reached another milestone on a major salmon restoration project near Alger.
“Crews assembled the bottom of a new fish-passable structure beneath southbound Interstate 5 and have begun work on the top.”
Washington State Department of Transportation, Tuesday update
Construction crews have completed the lower section of a new fish-passable structure beneath I-5 and have started building the upper portion, according to a July 14 construction update from WSDOT.
Traffic remains restricted to a single lane in each direction near the Alger and Lake Samish Road area while crews continue work. The temporary traffic configuration is scheduled to remain in place through Friday, July 25.
Lane Reductions Continue Through July 25
Northbound traffic continues to use the northbound freeway, while southbound traffic has shifted onto temporary crossover lanes on the northbound side of I-5.
The work zone includes:
- One lane open in each direction near Exit 240.
- A reduced speed limit of 60 mph.
- Closure of the southbound Lake Samish Road off-ramp.
- Expected delays throughout the project area.
WSDOT encourages travelers to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes when possible.
Part of $159.6 Million Fish Passage Project
The current work is part of WSDOT’s $159.6 million Interstate 5 fish passage project, which will replace aging culverts at four stream crossings in Whatcom and Skagit counties.
The project includes work at:
- Unnamed Tributary to Friday Creek (milepost 241)
- Lake Creek (milepost 245)
- Unnamed Tributary to Lake Creek (milepost 246)
- Chuckanut Creek (milepost 247)
Construction at the Lake Creek crossing south of North Lake Samish Road is largely complete, although crews still have finishing work to complete.
Restoring Salmon Habitat
The replacement structures will reopen miles of upstream habitat that has remained difficult or impossible for salmon, steelhead and bull trout to reach for decades.
Instead of traditional culverts, crews are installing larger fish-passable crossings that better mimic natural stream conditions. The structures include natural channel features such as logs and boulders designed to slow water, stabilize streambeds and improve fish habitat while maintaining highway infrastructure above.
The statewide fish barrier correction program stems from a federal court injunction requiring Washington to accelerate the replacement of state-owned culverts that block fish migration.
More Construction Ahead
The current traffic impacts focus on the Unnamed Tributary to Friday Creek crossing. Additional phases of construction will continue through winter 2028.
Later this summer, crews are expected to begin work at Chuckanut Creek, where temporary bypass roads will carry traffic while new bridge structures are built. Future phases also include work at the North Lake Samish interchange in 2027, with additional nighttime lane closures and temporary traffic shifts.
WSDOT said it will continue coordinating construction with local agencies and emergency responders to reduce disruptions while maintaining traffic through the work zone.
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