Expect long delays at intersection north of Bellingham as roundabout project nears
Drivers north of Bellingham can expect traffic backups this weekend ahead of the planned construction of a roundabout later this month at East Smith and Hannegan roads.
Utility companies have been working for several weeks to get ready for the $5.7 million construction project, causing occasional delays, the Whatcom County Public Works Department told The Bellingham Herald.
More extensive work is scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. Saturday and last until 2 a.m. Sunday, according to an emailed statement from Public Works.
“Please plan for long delays at the intersection or use alternate routes to avoid extended wait times,” the statement said.
Construction of the roundabout itself is scheduled to start May 29 and last until mid-August, Public Works spokeswoman Mandy Feutz told The Herald in an email. Nearly $4 million in federal funds are going toward the effort.
“There is a full closure of the intersection planned to begin after the Fourth of July weekend and conclude before the Northwest Washington Fair,” Feutz said. “The exact dates are still being determined, but Whatcom County is working with Stremler Gravel to finalize the details of this closure. Once we have those details finalized, we will push that information out to the public.”
Whatcom County officials said that the multi-lane roundabout will improve traffic flow at the intersection of a key east-west road and a heavily traveled north-south commuter route.
Traffic counts from 2019 show Hannegan Road had a daily volume of 13,300 cars and trucks at the Smith Road intersection, and Smith Road had a daily volume of 7,800, Feutz said.
