Washington State Route 547 Explained

State:WA
Type:SR
Route:547
Section:806
Map:Washington State Route 547 Map.svg
Map Notes:Map of Whatcom County in northwestern Washington with SR 547 highlighted in red
Length Mi:10.79
Length Round:2
Length Ref:[1]
Established:1984[2]
Direction A:South
Terminus A: in Kendall
Direction B:North
Terminus B: in Sumas
Counties:Whatcom
Previous Type:SR
Previous Route:546
Next Type:SR
Next Route:548

State Route 547 (SR 547) is a Washington state highway located in Whatcom County, south of the Canada–US border. The 10.792NaN2 long route runs northwest from in Kendall to in Sumas. The highway was originally created in 1984, but a road extending from Kendall to Sumas has been on maps since 1966 along the Sumas–Glacier route of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad.

Route description

State Route 547 begins at a junction with in Kendall, located northwest of Mount Baker. At the intersection, the highway is named Kendall Road and turns north towards the Canada–US border.[1] After passing Kendall Elementary School,[3] the route crosses Kendall Creek to enter Balford.[1] SR 547 turns northwest and passes the former Baker's Edge Golf Course, Peaceful Valley and Columbia before turning west and becoming Reese Hill Road as it traverses the north foothills of Sumas Mountain.[1] The highway turns north to become Hillview Road and later Sumas Road before curving west towards Sumas as Rock Road and Front Street before crossing the Sumas River into Sumas. The roadway ends at an intersection with, about 0.67miles south of the Canada–US border.[1]

History

The general route of SR 547 follows the route of the now-defunct SumasGlacier branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad.[4] By the 1980s, the Sumas–Kendall Road was being used as a tourist route for Canadian residents to reach the Mount Baker Ski Area and surrounding recreation areas. The road had deteriorated, but the Whatcom County stated they were unable to afford repairs. The county government proposed a trade with the Washington State Department of Transportation, who would release SR 540 to Whatcom County and take over maintenance of Sumas–Kendall Road.[5] In 1984, the state legislature approved the transfer of SR 540 to the county and the creation of a new state highway on Sumas–Kendall Road, which was numbered SR 547.[2] [6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Highway Log: Planning Report, SR 2 to SR 971 . Washington State Department of Transportation . Washington State Department of Transportation . 2006 . June 3, 2009.
  2. Web site: RCW 47.17.806: State Route 547. Washington State Legislature. Washington State Legislature. June 3, 2009.
  3. Web site: Kendall Elementary School . Mount Baker School District . Mount Baker School District . 2009 . June 10, 2009.
  4. . Victoria, 1966 . 1966 . 1:250,000 . . June 3, 2009.
  5. News: Partlow . Bob . February 3, 1984 . County trades Sumas-Kendall for Slater Road . B1 . The Bellingham Herald . Newspapers.com . December 1, 2022.
  6. 1984 . 197 . March 15, 1984 . State Routes 102, 547, and 823 Established—State Route 540 Transferred to County . 984 . December 1, 2022.