Project overview
Contractor crews working on behalf of WSDOT made improvements to the Slater Road corridor north of Bellingham, between Rural Avenue and Interstate 5. WSDOT contractor crews will removed the existing mini roundabout at the intersection of southbound I-5 and Slater Road, re-orientated the ramps to connect closer to the bridge overpass and installed a new, larger multi-lane roundabout. Work includeded curb installation, colored concrete, paving, stormwater work and new lights and signs.
What to expect
These improvements at the intersection of Slater Road and southbound I-5 are the first of several planned improvements along the Slater Road corridor. The next phase of construction is scheduled to begin in early 2026.
Looking west down Slater Road from the intersection of Slater Road and Northwest Drive, which is one of the proposed sites included in the Slate Road interchange improvement project.
In 2014, WSDOT built compact roundabouts to better manage congestion and improve safety on this corridor. Those interim roundabouts have successfully and safely kept traffic moving but they are due for an upgrade. Using practical design principles, WSDOT engineers worked with people who use this corridor to understand the traffic problems they experience. Based on that feedback, WSDOT created multiple design options. WSDOT then worked with community residents and area partners to narrow down those designs to a preferred alternative that improved identified problems and stayed within the project’s Connecting Washington budget.
WSDOT worked on multiple projects to improve the Slater Road corridor in Ferndale, between Rural Avenue, west of I-5, and Northwest Drive, east of I-5. Traffic studies showed the Interstate 5/Slater Road (Exit 260) and the surrounding interchanges will experience more traffic due to rapid growth in the area within the next decade.
