Photo: c/o Bellingham Rock Facebook page
What’s happening?
If you’ve driven northbound on I-5 near Bellingham, chances are you’ve noticed the Bellingham Rock painted with messages for decades. As part of our fish passage project at Friday, Lake, and Chuckanut Creeks, the Rock will need to be removed from its current spot. We understand this Rock isn’t just a boulder, it’s a beloved community billboard.
Why can’t the rock stay?
Due to safety concerns, the Rock cannot return to its original location once it’s removed. WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) don’t permit its return to I-5 limited access areas, especially where it could encourage unsafe parking or pedestrian access along a busy interstate.
Yes, it’s historic
Because the Rock has served as a community message board for so long, it’s officially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. We’ve signed a Memorandum of Agreement with FHWA and the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, laying out the process we must follow.
We’ve also been consulting with Native American Tribes and engaging with other interested parties, including the City of Bellingham and the Bellingham Rock Facebook Group, as we evaluate next steps.
What’s the plan?
We’re putting together something called a Treatment Plan, a formal document that:
- Details how we’ve documented the Rock,
- Outlines requirements for the contractor during removal, and
- Explores possibilities for where the Rock might go next.
Finding the right home
The heart of the challenge is finding a new home that keeps the Rock’s spirit alive, public, visible, and safely accessible.
We’ve been asked about relocating it to nearby on- and off-ramps, but they still fall under highway access rules and pose real safety concerns. We’ve also reached out to local governments, universities, and adjacent property owners. While we have heard some private interest in accepting the Rock, private owners aren’t able to provide public access or visibility, which means the Rock wouldn’t continue its role as a community message board. And because we’re using public funds, we can’t pay to move it to a private space if the public can’t interact with it.
On top of that, we also need to consider the environmental impact of any potential relocation. WSDOT works hard to avoid or minimize harm to environmentally critical areas like streams, wetlands, and other sensitive habitats. These areas are protected under local, state, and federal laws and we take those responsibilities seriously.
We also have to think about what it means to maintain the Rock at a new site. If it’s moved to a location that allows continued public access, there could be long-term maintenance needs that WSDOT, or another host, would need to take on. That’s something we must factor in as we look for the best path forward.
What’s Next?
Here’s what we do know:
- The Rock will be removed as part of this project.
- It won’t be going back to its current location or any other spot within I-5 limited access.
- We’re documenting its history thoroughly and respectfully.
- And most importantly, while the Rock will be moved from its current location, no decision has been made yet about its final resting place.
We’re working with our partners to find a solution that honors what the Bellingham Rock has meant to the community and we’re hopeful we’ll find a place that reflects that in one way, shape or form.