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Bellingham Scoop: I-5 Northbound Is Open
Earth Week Starts Sunday in Bellingham
Happy Thursday, Bellingham. Big news this morning: I-5 northbound is open again. It has been nearly a month, and today crews got it done. Let's get into it.
Today's Weather: Mostly sunny with a high near 55. Winds calm this morning, picking up out of the south southwest around 6 mph by afternoon. A nice stretch of spring ahead with highs pushing toward the mid-60s this weekend. Full forecast from the National Weather Service.
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Road Update
I-5 Northbound Reopens After Nearly Four Weeks of Closure Near Bellingham
Northbound I-5 reopened at 5 a.m. Thursday after nearly four weeks of emergency stabilization work following a March 19 landslide that shut down the highway between North Lake Samish Road and SR 11/Chuckanut Drive. WSDOT crews drilled and anchored steel dowels into the rock face, pinning unstable material in place before clearing the highway for traffic.
If you have been rerouting through downtown or along Chuckanut Drive, you can ease back onto I-5 this morning. Geotechnical engineers signed off on the work ahead of the scheduled reopening. Full details on the reopening and what comes next for slope stabilization here.
Emergency Update
Federal Disaster Declaration Confirmed for December Floods + State Declares Drought
Federal Disaster Declaration & Statewide Drought
Whatcom County Emergency Briefing, April 15, 2026
Washington State has received a Federal Disaster Declaration for the December 2025 flooding. That declaration opens the door to federal recovery funds for affected residents and public infrastructure. Separately, the Washington Department of Ecology declared a drought as of April 2026, an unusual combination with a wet winter still fresh in the rearview.
As of Wednesday, Whatcom County's Emergency Operations Center is not activated and there are no active advisories, watches, or warnings in the county. The briefing also includes volcano awareness information for Mount Baker. Read the full briefing here.
Public Safety
Seven More BPD Officers Certified for Bike Patrol This Summer
Seven Bellingham Police officers completed the IPMBA Police Cyclist Course this week, certified by Officer A. Ridlon, who is an in-house IPMBA instructor for the department. Training covered classroom procedures, cone courses, night riding, basic maintenance, and handling police calls from a bike.
The new graduates will join BPD's five-person Bike Patrol Team for summer park and trail patrols when staffing allows. BPD also deploys mountain bike officers for events like the Memorial Day Parade and Ski to Sea festival. More on the program here.
County Government
Debbie Arthur Confirmed as Whatcom County's Second Deputy Executive
On Tuesday, April 14, the Whatcom County Council confirmed Executive Satpal Sidhu's appointment of Debbie Arthur as the county's second Deputy Executive. She joins Deputy Executive Kayla Schott-Bresler, who has served in the role since 2024.
Arthur brings more than 30 years of executive leadership across government, higher education, private industry, and emergency response. Her background focuses on internal service functions, long-range financial strategy, capital planning, and organizational performance. Read more about her background and the new two-deputy structure here.
Thursday: Out & About
Earth Week, a Women in Fire Workshop, and a Parade Worth Marking: All Coming Up
Spring is stacking up fast in Bellingham. Here is what is on the radar for the next few weeks.
Earth Week in Bellingham (April 19-25)
The City of Bellingham has a full lineup for Earth Week, including Earth-themed Children's Storytimes with Bellingham Public Library, a volunteer work party to restore habitat at Squalicum Creek, a drop-off event for hard-to-recycle items like electronics and batteries, and a guided tour of the Padden Creek fish passage project. The full schedule is at cob.org/earthday2026.
Future Women in EMS and Fire Workshop: May 2 and 3
The Future Women in EMS and Fire Workshop returns to Bellingham on May 2 and 3. Participants will get hands-on instruction and demonstrations from women working in EMS and firefighting agencies across Whatcom County. Open to anyone 18 and older. Apply online by April 27. Full details here.
Procession of the Species Parade: May 2
The annual Procession of the Species parade is coming back on May 2. The route runs from Bellingham High School to Maritime Heritage Park, with performances, face painting, and hands-on art activities afterward. It is one of those only-in-Bellingham events that draws a real crowd. Preview the event here.
📅 The Upcoming Week
Day | What's Happening |
|---|---|
Fri 4/17 | I-5 NB fully open: check WSDOT for any lane conditions |
Sat 4/18 | Bellingham Farmers Market: Saturdays through December at Railroad Ave and Chestnut St, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. |
Sun 4/19 | Earth Week begins: cob.org/earthday2026 has the full schedule for the week |
Mon 4/20 | Earth Week continues: Children's Storytime events at Bellingham Public Library branches |
Tue 4/21 | Squalicum Creek volunteer work party: habitat restoration, check cob.org/earthday2026 for signup |
Wed 4/22 | Earth Day! Hard-to-recycle drop-off event + Padden Creek fish passage tour. Full info at cob.org/earthday2026 |
Sat 4/25 | Bellingham Farmers Market: Railroad Ave and Chestnut St, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
Coming up: April 27: deadline to apply for the Future Women in EMS and Fire Workshop. April 30: deadline to apply for the Ferndale PRTAB board vacancy. May 2: Procession of the Species parade + Women in EMS and Fire Workshop begins.
That is your Thursday update, Bellingham. I-5 is open, the sun is out, and Earth Week is right around the corner. See you tomorrow.
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