If you drive James Street between Bakerview Road and Kellogg Road in Bellingham's King Mountain neighborhood, plan your routes accordingly: the City of Bellingham is closing that stretch of road starting Monday, June 8, for approximately three weeks. The closure is part of a long-anticipated project to add a new shared-use path along the James Street corridor, and the first phase requires the road to be fully shut down while crews build a retaining wall.
The project is part of the James Street Multimodal Safety Improvements Phases 3 and 4, a City of Bellingham Public Works effort focused on the King Mountain neighborhood. The full scope of the project includes a new multi-use trail on James Street running from Telegraph Road north to King Avenue, plus sidewalks and bike lanes extending from King Avenue to Gooding Avenue. When complete, the improvements will connect with planned infrastructure upgrades at the Bakerview and Telegraph Road intersection, creating a more continuous active transportation network in northwest Bellingham.
The full closure between Bakerview and Kellogg is temporary and necessary. Building a retaining wall on terrain like this requires unobstructed access to the roadway. Once that structural work is finished, the City expects to open at least one driving lane for the remainder of the construction project, allowing traffic to resume a partial flow while work continues on the trail itself.
Residents and commuters should plan for detours. Flaggers will be stationed at both ends of the closure during standard business hours to direct drivers to detour routes, assist people on foot, and help residents along the block access their driveways. If you live on the affected stretch of James Street, you will still be able to get in and out of your property with flagger assistance during business hours.
For the Bellingham cycling community and pedestrians, this project has been on the radar for several years. The King Mountain neighborhood sits in a part of northwest Bellingham that lacks the connected trail infrastructure found closer to downtown, and James Street has historically been a busy arterial with limited safe options for people traveling by foot or bike. The completed path will fill a meaningful gap in the city's non-motorized transportation network.
The City of Bellingham's road closure information page is updated regularly with current construction closures, detour guidance, and project timelines. Residents with specific questions about the James Street project can also reach out directly to Public Works at askpw@cob.org, which is the address listed on the project's public communications.
The three-week timeline is an estimate. As with any civil construction project, delays from weather or unforeseen site conditions could extend the full closure period. The City's social media channels and the Public Works road closures page are the most reliable places to check for updates if the timeline shifts.
When the project is finished, James Street will offer something it currently lacks: a safe, separated space for cyclists and pedestrians running through a neighborhood that has grown significantly in recent years. The trail connection to Telegraph Road and eventually to Bakerview Road will make it easier to move through the King Mountain area without relying solely on the vehicle lanes of a busy road. For Bellingham residents in that part of town, it is infrastructure worth the short-term inconvenience of a closure. Questions about the project can also be directed to the City of Bellingham Public Works department.
