Portland Bridge Pedal

Portland is known as the City of Bridges, and it could just as easily be known as the City of Bicycles. The Portland Bridge Pedal is what happens when you put those two things together. Or — as it’s officially known due to sponsorship — the Providence Bridge Pedal!

Once every year, all 10 of Portland’s bridges are covered with cyclists. It’s sort of like Critical Mass, only the Portland Bridge Pedal is sanctioned (and charges an entry fee).

This year the event is on Sunday, August 12, 2012.

Participants can choose to ride all 10 bridges (36-mile route), eight bridges (24-mile route) or six bridges (14-mile route). Included in the itinerary are routes across the top decks of the the Marquam and Fremont bridges, along with the most of the bridges in Portland that go over the Willamette River. The registration fees are $30-40 (depending on if you choose the 6,8, or 10 bridge ride) for adults and $40-50 if you sign up on the day of the event. Youth (ages 13-19) are $15-25, and kids (age 12 and under are free). If you want to form a team, you can gather four or more adults together to save $4 each off the registration fee. This is a perfect excuse to make friends with your cycling neighbors.

New this year: Express Start. Both the 8-bridge and 10-bridge rides offer an early starting option ($5 extra), for those who want to get out ahead of the pack of riders.

In past years, the Bridge Pedal finish line has ended at The Bite of Oregon. The past two years, the finish-line festivities are at JELD-WEN Field. [Route ends at SW Salmon Street and 15th Avenue]

For those Portlanders who haven’t been on a bike in more than a decade [we won’t judge!], you can still get into the spirit of things by joining the “Portland Bridge Stride” event for walkers which is a five-mile route that goes over the Fremont and Steel bridges. Fees for the Bridge Stride are $20 for adults ($30 on event day), $15 for seniors aged 60 or over ($20 on event day) and kids age 15 or under are free.

Register for the Portland Bridge Pedal and have a great time!

Photo by: rynosoft. Original article written August 2007, updated June 2012.