BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The neighborhood bridge crossing Chuckanut Creek on the southern outskirts of Bellingham has always been a happy place for Rebecca Bunn and the three boys she raised there.
"We'd come down here on their bikes and pick up stones," Bunn said. "We have lots of memories."
Now, though, the peaceful creek is bringing turbulent times.
"It was really devastating to hear," Bunn said.
Homeowners depend on the one-lane bridge to get to work, school, the doctor, the grocery store, and just about everywhere else every day.
It washed out during floods in 2021. The question now is how and whether to replace it.
The first temporary bridge was built over the creek decades ago. That one was compromised during back-to-back floods in 2021.
A second temporary bridge stands, but its days may be numbered.
Bellingham Public Works officials said due to climate change, and the possibility of more flooding, it may be more cost-effective, in the long run, to abandon the bridge, and buy property owners out rather than build a new one.
That means Rebecca's family, who have made their lives along the creek, would have to leave.
"I have a lot of emotions," Bunn said. ''There's the emotional response to losing the house. There's the stress of not knowing where you're going to live, your future."
Bunn said the community is home to four families including an 80-year-old widow who lives in a log cabin she built with her late husband, and a multi-generational family staying in the only home they've ever known.
Their pasts and futures are at risk of washing away, she worries.
Bunn launched an online petition urging the city to build a permanent solution to the problem -- a permanent bridge.
"It's complicated down here but, I think there are creative solutions that will work," Bunn said.
Late Wednesday, Bellingham Public Works responded to KING 5's request for an interview with a statement saying it plans to "slow down" the bridge replacement project to allow additional time for analysis.
The statement added that "no additional actions are being planned or proposed at this time."
"We are committed to working closely with our State and Federal government regulatory partners to identify a viable path forward that addresses the challenges posed by the bridge's condition and the changing environment," said Joel Pfundt, Bellingham Public Works interim co-director.
"We understand the importance of this bridge for access to certain properties and our assessment will carefully consider these needs. We will continue to keep the affected property owners and public informed as we make progress, including through our project page."
An updated presentation to the City Council is expected early next year.