PORTLAND, Ore. — This Sunday morning, Portlanders will have a rare opportunity to get up on top of the Fremont and Marquam bridges, car-free, to enjoy breathtaking views of the city.
Providence Bridge Pedal and Stride returns for its 26th year this Sunday, Aug. 14. The celebration of bicycling, a Portland summer event, offers the opportunity to bike across bridges with various ride options for cyclist of all ages and skill levels.
"And so I think the people are most surprised about is one, the sense of camaraderie that builds among all the cyclists, and two, really the fun of being up on those two bridges, they were both built in the 60s and early 70s when there was absolutely no consideration for any access except for cars and trucks," said founder Rick Bauman.
Proceeds from this year's event will benefit the Providence Better Outcomes thru Bridges (BOB), which focuses on serving vulnerable groups in the community.
“Helping build bridges back to stable and normal lives, it’s a great relationship, we’re all about bridges, and they’re building bridges," said Bauman.
The event is scheduled to run from 7 a.m. until noon, impacting traffic on I-5 and I-405. Six bridges will be closed off to cars.
Bridge closures
The Burnside and Broadway bridges will remain open to cars throughout the event.
There is still time to ride through the bridges this Sunday; registration is required. Online registration is encouraged, but participants can still signup in person at any of the starting points for the various routes.