Birch Bay Drive repaving project delayed

Birch Bay Drive construction that was scheduled to start Monday, July 10 has been delayed, Whatcom County Public Works spokesperson Mandy Feutz told The Northern Light in an email.

The Birch Bay Drive Paving Rehabilitation Project team was recently informed of delays in critical project permitting required to start construction, according to a July 6 public works release. Project contractor Lakeside Industries, as a result, will not begin roadwork Monday as previously planned.

Public works’ engineering team is working on an adjusted timeline with the contractor, public works said.

“Whatcom County Public Works is committed to seeing this project resume as quickly as possible, and we are working with stakeholders to modify the project’s timeline accordingly,” Feutz wrote in a statement. “We will be updating our website and social media channels with additional information in due course.”

Plans for the project include grinding and repaving 2.25 miles of Birch Bay Drive from Jackson Road to Alderson Road, Lora Lane to Shintaffer Road and the section of Harborview Road from Birch Bay Drive to Birch Bay-Lynden Road. All grinding and paving operations will occur at night, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday nights through Friday mornings, and include longer single-lane road closures.