Wayne Gerner grew up in a house accessed by a bridge in Chuckanut Village. That’s where he wants to die, too.
“This is where my grandparents passed away. This is where my parents passed away,” the 71-year-old said. “We almost feel like it’s legacy that I need to do that, too.”
Gerner’s house that he shares with wife Laura Mackenzie, 73, is his family’s original homestead, purchased by his grandfather in 1917.
But the City of Bellingham’s decision to replace, or not replace, the single-lane narrow bridge over Chuckanut Creek could mean they need to move, and their original homestead would be demolished.
Eleven people live in the corner of Chuckanut Village that requires bridge access. In 2021, when floods washed away the bridge, the City of Bellingham installed a temporary one and started planning in 2022 for a future solution.
But in October, residents were told that city staff were proposing no bridge replacement and instead buying out properties, including four houses and one garage.
Residents, who range in age from 17 to 80, have long histories in the area and make up a close, tight-knit community.
“The first time I heard the news, I just started bawling,” said Rebecca Bunn, who has raised her three kids in her house.
Bellingham City Council was supposed to discuss the proposal at the next meeting on Monday, Nov. 4. But after an online petition that has garnered more than 720 signatures and pushback from Chuckanut Village residents, the city has opted to “slow down” the timeline for the project, said Public Works Communications and Outreach Manager Riley Grant.
“While the initial feasibility study presented several options, including the option to not replace the bridge, we would like to complete further studies to determine the solution that best balances the needs of our whole community, impacted residents, flooding and sea level rise, fish passage and long-term resilience,” Grant wrote.
She added that the city understands the importance of the bridge for access to certain properties and the new assessment will “carefully consider those needs.”
While slowing down the timeline responds to one main request of residents — to go back to the drawing board and reconsider — they remain in limbo. The city has not yet committed to rebuilding the bridge, Bunn said.
“We have been living with considerable uncertainty about the security of our homes for the past three years, and slowing down the project does not alleviate that anxiety,” she said.
‘I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else’
Crossing the narrow bridge opens up a world of trails and carefully maintained properties. All residents that CDN spoke to consider themselves stewards of the land, something they feel is particularly important given the number of conservation easements in the area and the wildlife. Trails from the area connect to Woodstock Farm and the bay.
Jo Miller, 80, has lived in a property across the bridge for more than 40 years. She and her late husband, Denny, built their log cabin by hand.
“We really put a lot of effort and work in and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” Miller said.
Gerner and Mackenzie moved into Gerner’s childhood home in Chuckanut Village in 2012, after his father’s passing. He said the home was like a magnet to him, drawing him to come back.
“I wanted to go back to where it all began. I wanted to come back and bring this place back to life,” Gerner said.
He emphasized the community in the small neighborhood — the long-term friendships that have been forged. And the histories, like his family’s.
Mackenzie called the house a “sanctuary” for them and said she loves the ability to be “neighbors with nature.”
Consultant presents 10 options
In a study on the potential bridge replacement prepared by TranTech Engineering in September, the consultant put together 10 alternatives: options range from rebuilding the bridge in the same location or in a different location, or not rebuilding the bridge at all and buying out the affected properties.
Price tags for the bridge rebuild range from $2.7–$4.5 million, according to the report, with at least $5 million needed for the buy-out option, which the city recommended in October.
In a notice to residents earlier this month, city staff said in the case of the buy-out option, the city would not replace the bridge if it failed, and would offer to buy properties that require the bridge for access at “fair market value.” The structures would then be removed and the properties converted to greenspace or planted as riparian buffer, according to the consultant’s report.
Bellingham staff stated this would protect residents from an expected increase in flooding in the area, and the city sees “value in purchasing properties in the area” for benefits to habitat and the environment.
The city did receive money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover 90% of the cost of a replacement bridge, plus state funding to cover 5% of the replacement bridge. But that money wouldn’t be able to be used toward a buyout. Grant said the city hadn’t determined a funding strategy yet, but there are state and federal grants that provide funding to buy out properties at risk of flooding.
Bunn, who created the petition, said she thought the city’s initial plan to leave the temporary bridge and buy out the properties didn’t make a lot of sense. She questioned the finances of the plan.
“I think there are some potentially viable alternatives that haven’t been fully explored that would allow us to build a bridge that is robust and would withstand some expected flooding,” she said. “It’s not going to be a straightforward solution. It’s going to have to be creative.”
She criticized the city for its lack of “authentic engagement” with property owners. Grant said the city “proactively met” with impacted property owners and allowed them to share their input through in-person meetings before making a recommendation to the council. She said the city is committed to transparency and community involvement, and is taking “additional time” to “confirm our recommendations are grounded in sound science and financial transparency.”
“It’s not just us that are affected, the whole village wants a bridge,” Bunn said.
Todd Todhunter, 65, and Cheryl Milward, 67, are siblings who grew up in Chuckanut Village and continue to live there. They’ve never lived across the bridge but spent their childhood running around the area, and now as adults, go on walks across the bridge to Woodstock Farm. Five generations of their family have lived in the neighborhood.
“People can’t believe this place exists,” Milward said, gushing about the access to nature. Todhunter said if the city did purchase the properties and leave the bridge to fail, the area is irreplaceable. “You’ll never find another place like this,” he said.
The two want a permanent bridge. “There is a solution if you want to find one,” Todhunter said.
Grant said city staff will work closely with state and federal government regulatory agencies to “identify a viable path forward that addresses the challenges posed by the bridge’s condition and the changing environment.”
The city expects to bring a presentation on potential options to city council in early- to mid-2025. Grant said community members will be able to provide feedback before any decisions are made.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
