From the Washington State Department of Transportation:
Construction to realign SR 542 near Glacier Springs starts Feb. 19
MAPLE FALLS – Relief is in sight for drivers who use State Route 542 near Glacier Springs in Whatcom County. This week, under an emergency contract, contractor crews will begin realigning the highway away from the Nooksack River. The Washington State Department of Transportation selected Bellingham-based Ram Construction to permanently shift this section of the SR 542, the Mt. Baker Highway, 100 feet to the northeast. The work will be complete in April.
The Nooksack River is eroding land near the eastbound lane of the highway. To keep drivers safe, WSDOT reduced a 1,000 foot-long stretch of SR 542 to one lane on Feb. 8. Temporary signals are controlling traffic in that area.
“Both lanes of SR 542 still seem to be stable, but the erosion is close enough that, in the interest of safety, we decided to take action,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Chris Damitio. “Even with the temporary signals, drivers are experiencing only minor delays and all the businesses east of the one-lane section, including the Mount Baker Ski Area, remain open.”
WSDOT maintenance crews have been monitoring erosion at this site for many years. In 2006, WSDOT shifted SR 542 several feet to the north to move it away from the river. In late November and early December 2014, the Nooksack eroded several feet of the bluff, bringing the river closer to the current alignment. Recent heavy rains and high water levels brought further erosion, leading WSDOT to reduce the highway to one lane. WSDOT engineers believe the new highway alignment will not be affected by the river.
I do not know them but I feel really sorry for the three land-owners that are affected by this construction. They are losing significant chunks of their front yards and, considering that the Nooksack will continue to erode the hillside, their property values just tanked to less than zero. This is just another step in the progression that started in 2006 - we have another ten years before this needs to be done again. That hillside is not stable.
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