Construction delays on northbound I-5 just south of Birch Bay-Lynden Road contributed to a three-car accident on Thursday that resulted in no serious injuries.

The accident happened at about 4:30 p.m. on northbound I-5 on Thursday, May 17, just south of exit 270. North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) crews arrived just before 5 p.m. to find two cars involved in a rear-end collision and four individuals needing treatment, NWFR division chief John Swobody said.

A white Audi, which later drove away from the scene, had rear-ended a Honda CR-V that was slowing down due to construction in the area, Washington state trooper Brandon Lee said. The force of the impact pushed the CR-V into the back of a black Infiniti SUV, which was also slowing down.

The individuals in the CR-V, a 50-year-old woman driving with her 20-year-old daughter, were transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical for observation after reporting back pain, Lee said. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

The individuals in the Infiniti, a 40-year-old driver and 42-year-old passenger, were able to drive the SUV from the scene. The CR-V was towed because its driver was taken to the hospital. 

“It was just one of those basic ones where there’s construction out there and traffic is stopped,” Swobody said. “The original driver was not aware and did not stop soon enough.”

The accident backed up I-5 traffic for about an hour to just north of exit 266 at Grandview Road.

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) crews had the right lane of that section of I-5 closed in order to install roadside fiber optic cables for 21 new traffic cameras to be added between Bellingham and Blaine. WSDOT crews expect the right lane of northbound I-5 to be closed from Birch-Bay Lynden Road north to Loomis Trail Road from Tuesday, May 22, to Thursday, May 24, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Crews will reopen the lane at noon on Friday, May 25.