Motorists, be careful: More than 10,000 bicyclists will pedal through Western Washington and Oregon this weekend during the annual Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic.
The Washington State Department of Transportation asks drivers to share the road and prepare for traffic delays along the 200-mile STP route, which includes Cowlitz, Lewis and Columbia counties.
In Cowlitz County, bicyclists will take West Side Highway (SR 411) from Castle Rock to Kelso and continue as the highway becomes Third Avenue in Longview. They’ll take a right on Industrial Way and then cross the Lewis and Clark Bridge to Oregon. Riders will then head through Rainier on Highway 30 toward Portland.
Based on past years, the DOT predicts traffic delays early Sunday on SR 411 between Castle Rock and Kelso and all day Sunday at the base of the Lewis and Clark Bridge. STP organizers and WSDOT will provide traffic control in these areas.
People are also reading…
At the Lewis and Clark Bridge, drivers can expect nearly 20-minute delays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday as the Washington State Patrol and flaggers stop southbound traffic on the bridge to allow STP cyclists to cross, escorted by the Goldwing Motorcycle Club.
On Saturday, any STP cyclists will share the bridge with traffic unescorted.
