PORTLAND, Ore. — The 40th running of the Hood to Coast Relay, dubbed the Mother of All Relays, got underway early Friday morning at Timberline Lodge.
Hundreds of teams are starting the trek Friday morning from Timberline. More will join in Portland for the Portland to Coast Relay, and running or walking, they'll all make their way out to Seaside, where the relay ends. That means there will be a lot of uniquely decorated vans rolling along Highway 26, through downtown, then out to Highway 30.
Traffic impact will be minimal on Portland's main freeways, however, things get really congested for participants and for for those that live near the course near the major exchanges.
Each team has two vans, and at major exchanges, both vans are on the course.
The first major exchange, Exchange 6, is at Sandy High School, so travelers can expect a very slow drive on Highway 26 through Sandy, Friday through late afternoon. Runners are on the westbound shoulder of Highway 26 for parts of the course, so drivers, please keep an eye out for them.
The second major exchange, Exchange 12, is on the east end of Tilikum Crossing, just south of OMSI. Again, with both vans on the course at this location, Friday afternoon and evening traffic in the immediate area will be packed.
The third major exchange, Exchange 18, is in St. Helens, at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. Runners follow Highway 30, all the way out to Bachelor Flat Road before heading up into the hills.
The route then takes participants and vans up through the Oregon Coast Range. If you’re not involved with the relay, it’s best to avoid Highway 47 near Mist and Highway 202 from Mist to Olney, or risk being caught in very heavy traffic.
Vans, runners, and walkers all converge on downtown Seaside on Saturday, and it’s an all-day party waiting for arrivals. US 101 through Seaside is typically very packed on Saturday afternoon.
Chris McGinness is a meteorologist and transportation reporter for KGW. Got a story idea or a great photo you want to share? Email him at cmcginness@kgw.com or reach out on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.
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