Expect Traffic Impacts during Bridge Event October 11, 2026

The Great Columbia Crossing 10K event is Sunday morning, October 11, 2026. The Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to a great event weekend with more than 3,500 registered event participants supported by dozens of agencies and volunteers during this once-a-year opportunity to cross the Astoria-Megler Bridge on foot.  To improve security and enhance the experience for participants, the entire bridge and a portion of Washington Hwy 401 will be closed to vehicles during the event, from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m.

Your patience on race morning is greatly appreciated while traffic on and around the Astoria-Megler Bridge is affected.  There will be heavy traffic in this area beginning by 6 a.m. as participants arrive for the event. Shuttle buses to the starting area begin operating at 6:30 a.m. creating a steady flow of vehicles on the bridge. There are several locations for event parking around Astoria, Oregon and at the Port of Chinook, Washington. Participants are encouraged to please review this year’s official event parking and shuttle information on the event website to choose the option best suited for them.

At 8:30 a.m., the Oregon Department of Transportation will close the bridge to all but emergency vehicles. Traffic flow should be back to normal shortly after 11:00 a.m. when any remaining participants are cleared from the bridge.

The Chamber and partner agencies encourage local drivers to be prepared for this closure and schedule trips across the bridge before or after the event, or on another day.  Vehicles will be directed away from the bridge during the 2.5-hour event closure.

“We appreciate the assistance and coordination from the many agencies that provide traffic control, security and safety for this event.” stated David Reid, Executive Director of the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce.  “The bridge closure is a significant undertaking, and we acknowledge that it impacts people beyond our registered participants. We wish to thank the community for your patience and understanding as we preserve this annual tradition while responding to official concerns for the safety of our volunteers and participants.”

Registration to participate in this event is closed as capacity was reached in June. There are hundreds of volunteers who give their time and services to the event and there are still a few shifts available. You can learn more and sign up for a shift through the volunteer page of the event website.

Spectators are not allowed at the starting area or on the bridge. There are bleachers at the finish area on the Astoria Riverwalk near Bay Street. Spectators can walk into the finish line area to view the end of the course after 8:30 a.m., but there is no event parking at the finish line.

For more information, please contact the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce at 503-325-6311 or visit www.greatcolumbiacrossing.com