Lengthy bridge replacement work set to begin at two locations near downtown Bellingham
A pair of bridges over Whatcom Creek along a key truck and commuter route on the edge of downtown will be replaced over the next several months.
Both the Meador Avenue and James Street bridges are slated for replacement starting this week, according to the Public Works Department’s monthly newsletter.
A public meeting on the project is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in the Bellingham High School auditorium, 2020 Cornwall Ave.
At least one of the two bridges will be open to traffic during construction, Public Works Department Director Eric Johnston told the City Council in a Jan. 8 presentation. All businesses will have access points.
“The construction will bounce back and forth between the two bridges so that we can make sure that we are doing the in-creek work at a time that it is least impactful to the fish in the creek,” Public Works spokeswoman Natalie Monro told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
Both bridges were closed for several days during and after the torrential rain of November 2021, to inspect damage from raging water in Whatcom Creek. The bridges date to 1962 and have “structural deficiencies,” according to the city.
James Street north of Meador Avenue carried 6,900 cars daily in 2023, according to a city traffic survey. Meador Avenue west of James carried 3,200 cars a day.
State and federal grants will cover the project’s estimated $8.5 million cost, Johnston said.
Construction is expected to last through summer of 2025.
