Date:  Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Contact: Alice Fiman, WSDOT Communications 360-705-7080 (Olympia)

OLYMPIA – Drivers should leave themselves extra time July 9 and 10 as 10,000 cyclists use Washington’s state and local roads for the 2011 Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic (STP).

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) asks local drivers to share the road and prepare for traffic delays and reminds bicyclists of their responsibility to follow Washington’s rules of the road.

The biggest traffic impacts are typically:

• Early morning Saturday, July 9, on SR 7 in Pierce County.
• Midmorning to afternoon on SR 507 in Thurston and Lewis counties.
• Early Sunday, July 10, on SR 411 from Castle Rock to Kelso.
• All day Sunday near the SR 432 Lewis and Clark Bridge.

Drivers can expect nearly 20-minute delays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday as Washington State Patrol and traffic-control flaggers stop southbound drivers so 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.

Also on Sunday, those traveling northbound on Interstate 5 though Olympia into Pierce County – including STP riders returning from the ride – can expect delays as up to three northbound lanes just south of Lakewood close Friday through Monday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. WSDOT crews will be making needed repairs to the I-5 Clover Creek bridge decks, which will result in a smoother ride for drivers once work is complete.

Drivers should be aware that the following state highways (as well as additional local roads) are part of the STP route:

• SR 181, West Valley Highway in Kent
• Puyallup-area county and city roads
• SR 7, near Spanaway
• SR 507, from the “Roy Wye” to Centralia
• Centralia and Chehalis city streets
• County roads (Napavine to Winlock to Vader)
• SR 506, Vader area
• Westside Highway, Vader to Castle Rock area
• SR 411, Castle Rock to Longview
• SR 432, Longview industrial area
• SR 433, Crossing Lewis and Clark Bridge

More information for the Cascade Bicycle Club is available at http://shop.cascade.org/content/events/stp.

To aid cyclists and drivers, STP organizers and WSDOT have worked together to provide traffic control at the following locations:

Saturday, July 9

• SR 507 between SR 7 (Roy “Wye”) and Yelm (roving WSP 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 directing traffic)

Sunday, July 10

• SR 411/Castle Rock area (flagger directing traffic at SR 411/PH 10)
• SR 411 between Castle Rock and Longview (roving WSP trooper)
• SR 411/Lexington area (police officers directing traffic near Lexington Park)
• SR 432/433 in Longview at the Lewis and Clark Bridge (flaggers and motorcycle escort)

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 511.

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