Slater Road in Ferndale will be closed for most of next week as BNSF Railway performs maintenance work at the road's railroad crossing near LaBounty Drive. The closure begins Monday morning, July 13, and the longest stretch of disruption runs Tuesday through Thursday, with both directions of Slater Road shut down around the clock for approximately 58 consecutive hours.
Drivers who rely on Slater Road to cross between the eastern and western sides of Ferndale should identify alternate routes before Monday morning. Main Street and Marine Drive are the two closest parallel east-west arterials that cross the BNSF tracks at separate, unaffected locations.
The Closure Schedule in Detail
The City of Ferndale announced the closure schedule on July 10, based on BNSF Railway's planned work window. Here is what to expect:
On Monday, July 13, the crossing will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. only. That is a brief partial closure, and Slater Road will reopen after the morning window. Most Monday commuters who leave before 8:00 a.m. or after 10:00 a.m. will not be affected.
The longer disruption begins Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00 a.m. and runs continuously until Thursday, July 16 at 6:00 p.m. During that 58-hour window, the Slater Road crossing will be closed in both directions, 24 hours a day. There is no overnight reopening during that period.
Signage will be posted directing drivers to detour routes. BNSF expects to finish work and reopen the crossing by 6:00 p.m. Thursday, but construction timelines can shift if the crew encounters unexpected conditions at the crossing. The city will communicate any changes through official channels.
Why the Crossing Is Being Closed
Railroad crossing maintenance of this type typically involves replacing the deteriorated wooden or composite crossing surface between the rails, repairing or replacing the approach panels, adjusting signal equipment, or performing rail work at the grade crossing point itself. The exact nature of BNSF's work at the Slater Road crossing has not been publicly specified, but the multi-day 24-hour closure suggests a significant replacement or reconstruction project rather than routine inspection.
Grade crossings experience heavy wear from both vehicle traffic and train loadings. The BNSF main line through Ferndale carries a high volume of freight trains connecting Pacific Northwest ports to national rail networks, as well as Amtrak's Empire Builder service between Seattle and Chicago. Keeping crossing surfaces and signal equipment maintained is essential for safety on both sides of the tracks.
The Washington State Department of Transportation maintains oversight of the state's approximately 2,900 public railroad crossings, coordinating between railroads and local governments on maintenance standards and closure protocols. When work requires full road closure, the railroad coordinates with the affected municipality, which in this case is Ferndale.
Alternate Routes and What They Mean for Commuters
Main Street, which runs through the center of Ferndale's downtown, crosses the BNSF tracks in the middle of town and provides a parallel east-west route for drivers using Slater Road. The Main Street crossing is typically open during business hours and will not be affected by the Slater Road work.
Marine Drive, further to the north and west, offers another alternative, particularly for drivers accessing industrial properties and the waterfront corridor west of the tracks. It is a less direct route for most residential traffic, but it is a viable option during the closure window.
The disruption will be most significant for commuters who travel Tuesday through Thursday morning and afternoon, when the 24-hour closure is in effect and traffic will consolidate onto Main Street. Drivers should expect heavier-than-normal congestion on those alternate routes, particularly during the weekday morning rush.
Trucks making deliveries to businesses east and west of the Slater Road crossing will need to reroute as well. Commercial operators should coordinate route adjustments with their dispatch teams in advance of Tuesday morning.
Slater Road's Role in Ferndale's Street Grid
Slater Road is an important east-west connector in Ferndale, linking residential neighborhoods east of the BNSF mainline with commercial areas, the waterfront, and the industrial corridor to the west. Workers commuting to jobs near the waterfront and the area around Main Street and Hovander Road use it regularly. Residents in the neighborhoods east of the tracks use it for routine trips to grocery stores, schools, and services on Ferndale's west side.
The closure comes during a week when road work is already affecting other parts of Whatcom County. Bellingham's Iowa Street stormwater repair project also begins night work on Monday, July 13, affecting the I-5 interchange area south of downtown. Drivers moving between Ferndale and Bellingham this week should plan for construction impacts on multiple arterials simultaneously and allow extra travel time.
What to Do This Week
For residents and businesses in Ferndale, the key action item is simple preparation. Monday morning's brief 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. closure is manageable for most schedules. The main disruption runs Tuesday through Thursday, so any regular Slater Road crossings during that period should be rerouted to Main Street or Marine Drive starting Tuesday morning.
If you have a scheduled delivery, service call, or appointment that requires crossing the Slater Road tracks between Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. and Thursday at 6:00 p.m., notify the relevant parties now so they can plan around the closure or adjust timing.
The City of Ferndale's website will carry updates if the closure schedule changes. Residents with questions can contact Ferndale Public Works through the city's main contact page at cityofferndale.org.
BNSF maintenance closures are a normal part of keeping Whatcom County's rail infrastructure safe. When the crossing reopens Thursday evening, Slater Road returns to full operation, and the maintenance work completed this week helps ensure the crossing remains safe for the years ahead.
