Construction is scheduled 2025 to 2027
The project’s first season in 2025 will span from May through October. During this time, crews will construct the Lake Creek and Unnamed tributaries to Friday Creek culverts. The second and third season of work will be in 2026 and 2027, respectively and will consist of constructing the Chuckanut Creek and Unnamed tributary to Lake Creek sites, in addition to completing stream restoration and landscaping work at the Unnamed tributaries to Friday Creek site.
2025 Project timeline
Lake Creek – Milepost 246
- May 2025
Bypass road construction begins at Lake Creek with nightly single-lane I-5 closures and intermittent Lake Samish Road closures. - June 2025
SB I-5 shifts onto two-lane median bypass. After SB culvert construction finishes, SB I-5 traffic returns to original alignment. - July 2025
NB I-5 median bypass road construction finishes and traffic shifts onto bypass to allow construction of the NB culvert. - Aug. 2025
NB I-5 traffic returns to original alignment with intermittent nightly single-lane closures for landscaping.
Unnamed Tributary to Friday Creek – Milepost 241
- Aug. 2025
I-5 crossover construction begins at Friday Creek with nightly single-lane closures. NB and SB I-5 reduce to a single lane for two weeks to construct the NB culvert. Lake Samish Road on-ramp to NB I-5 also closes. - Sept. 2025
I-5 crossover configured for SB construction with nightly single-lane closures. NB and SB I-5 reduce to a single lane for two weeks to build the SB culvert. SB I-5 off-ramp to Lake Samish Road also closes. - Oct. 2025
NB and SB I-5 return to original alignment. Lake Samish Road closes for one month for culvert construction.
Lake Creek
Construction will begin in May 2025 at the Lake Creek site (milepost 245). A median bypass road will be constructed between northbound and southbound I-5 lanes to move traffic away from the work area.
Once traffic has been moved onto the median bypass road then excavation and removal of the old fish barrier will occur, followed by installation of the new culvert. Once the new culvert has been backfilled and the roadway restored, traffic will move back onto the existing roadway. When one side of I-5 has been constructed, the median bypass will be reconfigured to support work on the other side of I-5.
Most of the work at the Lake Creek site will be completed by August 2025.
Friday Creek
Beginning in August 2025, and after the Lake Creek culverts have been installed, work will commence at the Unnamed Tributaries to Friday Creek site (milepost 241). The order of work will occur very similarly to what was done at Lake Creek. People who travel on Lake Samish Road will experience a guided detour route in September 2025 while the road is closed just west of I-5. In 2026, crews will continue in stream and restoration work.
During the first season of construction, crews should be off the roadway by November 2025.
Traffic bypass on the I-5 median
Travelers on I-5 will use the two-lane temporary bypasses through the summer while the Lake Creek culverts are under construction.
How long will traffic be on the bypass?
Bypass roads on I-5 will be constructed to divert traffic around the work area. For 2025, this will occur at the Lake Creek and Unnamed tributaries to Friday Creek sites (mileposts 245 and 241). Construction of these temporary roads will begin in May, and completion will occur in October this year. In 2026, similar bypass roads will be constructed at the Unnamed tributary to Lake Creek (milepost 246) and Chuckanut Creek sites (milepost 247).
- Speed limits will be reduced once traffic is shifted to the bypass roads.
- Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction at the Lake Creek, Unnamed tributary to Lake Creek, and Chuckanut Creek site.
- During I-5 culvert construction at the Unnamed tributaries to Friday Creek site, both directions of I-5 will be reduced to a single lane and placed into a crossover using the opposing direction of I-5. Delays are expected during peak hours during this time.
