BELLINGHAM, Wash. — All lanes of Northbound Interstate 5 remain blocked Friday afternoon after a large landslide came down onto the freeway Thursday night. A separate slide near SR 11and the Skagit County Line reported around the same time has been cleared, reopening the highway.
The larger slide was reported just north of N Lake Samish Drive (exit 246), by Manley Road, around 9:30 p.m. Traffic was diverted at this exit and Washington State Patrol says three cars crashed into the debris, though no injuries were reported. Both directions of State Route 11 were also blocked by another slide south of the Skagit County line.
As of 5:45 a.m. Friday, WSDOT confirmed that SR 11 had been cleared and reopened, but I-5 remained closed at North Lake Samish Road (exit 246), with no estimated timeline for when lanes might reopen.
Southbound I-5 in the area remained open.
WSDOT’s first Geotech came to assess the slide Friday morning, though because of the potential instability, support from WSDOT’s lead Geotechs, who are based in Olympia, was needed.
WSDOT reports backups on the south end of the closure on I-5 were substantial. They urge drivers, especially freight traffic, to take SR 9, as many local and county roads are not built to sustain freeway traffic.
The interstate will remain closed on Friday. There is no estimated time for reopening.
Updates on the Interstate and other travel can be found on WSDOT’s social media as well as it’s website.
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