Northbound I-5 near Bellingham to Reopen Soon

Crews clear major landslide, allowing highway to resume operations.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 1:58am

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A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting depicting the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 winding through a mountainous, fog-shrouded region, with the highway dwarfed by the overwhelming scale of the natural environment.The reopening of a vital transportation artery in Washington state will restore a critical link for both passenger and commercial traffic in the region.Bellingham Today

A major landslide on northbound Interstate 5 near Bellingham, Washington has been cleared, with crews removing over 1,000 cubic yards of material from the site on the night of April 8. This will allow the highway to reopen to traffic in the coming days, restoring a critical transportation artery in the region.

Why it matters

I-5 is a vital north-south corridor for the West Coast, and this closure has caused significant disruptions to both passenger and commercial traffic in the area. The swift response and cleanup efforts by state crews will help minimize the economic impact and get the highway back up and running.

The details

The landslide occurred on the northbound lanes of I-5, blocking all traffic in that direction. Washington state transportation crews worked through the night on April 8 to remove over 1,000 cubic yards of material from the site, clearing the way for the highway to reopen in the near future.

  • The landslide occurred on the night of April 8.
  • Crews removed over 1,000 cubic yards of material from the site on the night of April 8.

The players

Washington State Department of Transportation

The state agency responsible for maintaining and operating the transportation infrastructure in Washington, including Interstate 5.

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What’s next

The Washington State Department of Transportation has not provided an exact date for the reopening of the northbound lanes of I-5, but they expect the highway to resume operations in the coming days once final inspections and safety checks are completed.

The takeaway

The swift response and cleanup efforts by state transportation crews have helped minimize the disruption caused by this landslide, allowing a critical transportation artery in the region to reopen in a timely manner and restore the flow of passenger and commercial traffic.