Annual Seattle to Portland bike riders hit the road Saturday, July 16
Published 3:16 pm Monday, July 11, 2016
Drivers should plan for delays; be extra alert
Drivers should allow extra travel time Saturday, July 16, and Sunday, July 17, as 10,000 cyclists ride western Washington’s state highways and local roads for the 2016 Group Health/Alaska Airlines Seattle to Portland (STP) fundraiser ride.
The Washington State Department of Transportation asks drivers to share the road and prepare for travel delays during the popular event. WSDOT also reminds bicyclists of their responsibility to follow Washington’s rules of the road.
The STP Washington route follows state highways and local roads in these areas:
- State Route 181 – West Valley Highway in Kent
- Puyallup area county roads and city streets
- State Route 7 – near Spanaway
- State Route 507 – Roy to Centralia
- SR 507 and 3rd Street – Yelm
- SR 507 and Mossman Street — Yelm
- Centralia and Chehalis city streets
- County roads from Napavine to Winlock to Vader
- State Route 506 – Vader area
- Westside Highway – Vader to Castle Rock
- State Route 411 (West Side Highway) – Castle Rock to Longview
- State Route 432 – Longview industrial area
- State Route 433 – Crossing Lewis and Clark Bridge into Oregon
For more information visit the Cascade Bicycle Club STP page or the route map.
Based on previous STP rides, congestion and delays are expected:
- Early morning Saturday, July 16, on SR 7 in Pierce County
- Midmorning to afternoon, Saturday, July 16, on SR 507 in Thurston and Lewis counties
- Early Sunday, July 17, on SR 411 from Castle Rock to Kelso
- All day Sunday, July 17, near the SR 432 & SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge
To aid cyclists and drivers, STP organizers, WSDOT and law enforcement have worked together to direct traffic at the following locations:
Saturday, July 16
- SR 507 between Roy and Yelm (roving Washington State Patrol trooper)
- SR 507/ Third Street in Yelm (police officers directing traffic)
- SR 507/Mossman Street in Yelm (police officer directing traffic)
- SR 507/Tenino Trail crossing (police officers or certified flaggers directing traffic)
Sunday, July 17
- SR 411/Castle Rock area (flagger directing traffic at SR 411/ Public Highway 10)
- SR 411 between Castle Rock and Longview (roving WSP trooper)
- SR 411/Lexington/Riverside County Park area (police officers directing traffic at SR 411 and Riverside County Park)
- SR 432/433 in Longview at the Lewis and Clark Bridge (WSP, flaggers and motorcycle escort)
Drivers on SR 432 can expect delays of up to 20 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Sunday, July 17. WSP and flaggers will stop southbound drivers on SR 433 so STP riders can cross the Lewis and Clark Bridge, escorted by Gold Wing motorcycle club members. Riders crossing the bridge on Saturday will not have a bridge escort and are expected to ride with traffic.
