Crews will soon begin construction of an additional temporary travel lane on Deer Trail that will allow two-way traffic on the roadway, which was damaged by a landslide in early 2021. This work will also eliminate the need for temporary stop signs on Deer Trail, which will be removed once the additional temporary travel lane is constructed. Drivers should expect alternating single-lane closures for the next several weeks during construction.
Crews will also remove trees along the roadway slope and install temporary erosion and sediment controls on the current slide area, which should help reduce the risk of additional landslides this winter. The contractor will remain available throughout the winter to provide maintenance of the temporary travel route and quickly address any additional temporary roadway repairs that might be needed.
Unfortunately, delays in acquiring property access agreements have prevented permanent repair work from taking place before this year’s rainy season started. Permanent repair work is now scheduled to start in Spring 2022 when weather conditions are more favorable. Whatcom County remains committed to constructing the permanent roadway repairs as soon as site conditions allow for construction.