Paving work on SR 9, SR 547 in Whatcom County begins Monday, June 15

SUMAS - A paving project in Whatcom County that will create a smoother ride for travelers on three sections of State Route 9 and one section of SR 547 begins Monday, June 15. People traveling through those areas may encounter some delays until the project wraps later this summer.

The Washington State Department of Transportation selected Granite Construction with a winning bid of more than $6 million to repave more than 12 miles of SR 9 and SR 547.

Crews will make full-depth pavement repairs, seal cracks and install new pavement markings along four stretches of highway:

• SR 9 from Park Road to north of Doran Road (mileposts 68 to 69) near the Skagit County line
• SR 9 from Nugents Corner nearly to South Pass Road (mileposts 84 to 90) between Deming and Nooksack
• SR 9 from the Nooksack Road/SR 546 intersection to near Bowen Street (mileposts 94 to 97) south of Sumas
• SR 547 from Saar Creek to the Sumas River (mileposts 9 to 10) east of Sumas

Some of these sections were last paved in 1998. This project will not only create a smoother driving surface for travelers, but also preserve vital sections of highway for years to come.

What to expect

Crews will reduce lanes between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily Sundays through Thursdays, though work on Sundays will be limited. Flaggers and pilot vehicles will alternate northbound and southbound traffic through work zones. Much of the work requires dry weather, but the project is expected to finish construction in late August.

People should plan for delays in areas where contractor crews are working. WSDOT will announce where crews will be working on the project webpage, its Travel Map and on social media. People can also sign up for WSDOT's Whatcom County email updates.