Birch Bay-Lynden Road reopened February 18 after a California Creek culvert failed during the November 2021 floods and washed out a 40-foot section of the road.
The area, near Ham Road, has been closed to vehicle traffic for three months while Whatcom County Public Works Department contractors worked on emergency repairs. Permanent repairs will be done in the future.
Permanent repairs will take about five years, county public works spokesperson Marie Duckworth said. The county will need to do preliminary engineering and alternatives analysis work to have a better understanding of what permanent repair will entail, Duckworth said. Permanent repairs will likely close the road but not until the end of the project, which is four to five years away, Duckworth said.
Public works estimates the emergency repairs to the road cost between $800,000 and $900,000. The department anticipates securing Federal Highway Emergency Relief funds to cover the costs, Duckworth said. Cost estimates for permanent repairs will be configured after preliminary engineering and alternatives analysis is complete.
In late January, RAM Construction crews installed two 10-foot diameter culverts after waiting over a month to do in-water work. The road reopening date was pushed several times and estimated for mid- to late-February.
Public works hasn’t placed vehicle restrictions on the road.
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