Forum Discussion

jamesu's avatar
jamesu
Explorer
May 24, 2013

Stay away from Western Washington if you're headed to BC

It's on all the news channels, but just to reinforce: if you are headed to B.C., DO NOT plan on doing so via I-5 in Western Washington.
As of 7pm last night, all lanes of I-5 are lying at the bottom of the Skagit River in Mt. Vernon, 45 miles south of the border.

It is Memorial Day Weekend and the back roads in N.W. Washington will likely be parking lots into the foreseeable future.

If you do not need to be here: Stay Away.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    May 24, 2013
    n7bsn wrote:
    ScottG wrote:
    I wouldn't cancel camping plans. Use Hwy 99 - it will have delays but it's better than not going at all IMO.



    Em, 99 doesn't go through. SR-9 does, as does a couple other roads. There are detours in place. Traffic is not bad today, but I expect it will get worse next week as everyone tries to get through (several schools and businesses have told their people to not try get through, that will change next wee)


    Thanks for the correction as it could have been very confusing. I meant Hwy 9!

    Scott
  • MaverickBBD's avatar
    MaverickBBD
    Explorer
    May 24, 2013
    What a weekend for SKi to Sea in Bellingham. Maybe it will once again become a local event. Is it just a cover story that the over sized rig was carrying drilling equipment but was instead overloaded with milk heading to canada after Victoria Day?
  • jamesu's avatar
    jamesu
    Explorer
    May 24, 2013
    Itchey Feet wrote:
    Acording to WA DOT they now have an alternate route open around the problem. Go to their web site and it shows the route to be used.


    This is my home. Do not doubt me on this. Hopefully it'll be better later, but you're better off staying away on the busiest weekend of the year after this catastrophe. I know the DOT detour and all the others. You don't want to be there this weekend. Trust me.
  • Bumpyroad's avatar
    Bumpyroad
    Explorer
    May 24, 2013
    looks to me that there is another bridge just East of I-5. of course it will all be a mess.
    bumpy
  • n7bsn's avatar
    n7bsn
    Explorer
    May 24, 2013
    ScottG wrote:
    I wouldn't cancel camping plans. Use Hwy 99 - it will have delays but it's better than not going at all IMO.



    Em, 99 doesn't go through. SR-9 does, as does a couple other roads. There are detours in place. Traffic is not bad today, but I expect it will get worse next week as everyone tries to get through (several schools and businesses have told their people to not try get through, that will change next wee)
  • garyhaupt's avatar
    garyhaupt
    Explorer
    May 24, 2013
    jamesu...no good deed goes unpunished, eh......


    Good for you for posting the info.


    Gary Haupt
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    May 24, 2013
    I wouldn't cancel camping plans. Use Hwy 99 - it will have delays but it's better than not going at all IMO.
  • mockturtle's avatar
    mockturtle
    Explorer II
    May 24, 2013
    Apparently the cause was an oversized load hitting part of the bridge structure. While there are alternate routes, it's still going to be a mess for quite some time. Thankfully, no fatalities.
  • Itchey_Feet's avatar
    Itchey_Feet
    Explorer
    May 24, 2013
    Acording to WA DOT they now have an alternate route open around the problem. Go to their web site and it shows the route to be used.

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