TRAFFIC ALERT: Fleet Week, which begins the week of June 3, will impact several downtown Portland bridges maintained by Multnomah County and partner agencies. The Steel, Broadway and Burnside bridges will lift for ships arriving in Portland during the annual event that brings in U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian ships.
Ship arrivals
**These are estimates and ship arrival times are subject to change.
Tuesday, June 3: Expect three ships arriving with bridge lifts between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Lifts will be longer than normal, in some cases up to 45 minutes.
Wednesday, June 4: Expect four ships arriving with bridge lifts between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Lifts will be longer than normal, in some cases up to 45 minutes.
All ships leave on Monday, June 9. Expect frequent bridge lifts and traffic delays during ship departures that morning.
Steel Bridge impacts
In addition to the periodic impacts to the travel lanes on the upper deck of the Steel Bridge, the unique bridge’s lower deck – a bicycle and pedestrian-only facility – will be closed from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., or until the last ship arrives for the day, each day on Tuesday, June 3 and Wednesday, June 4. If needed for late arriving ships, it will close with the same hours again on Thursday, June 5. The scheduled closures are needed to help with crowd control from sightseers who gather to view Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) crews preparing the seawall to receive ships and to accommodate river traffic from smaller vessels that are needed to prepare to receive larger vessels.
It will close again on Monday June 9, starting at 6:00 a.m. until the last ship has departed. People walking, biking, using a mobility device or sightseeing can use the upper deck of the Steel Bridge, but be advised that the sidewalks are very narrow. Consider alternative routes and bridges.
TriMet buses and trains will provide regular service across the Steel Bridge during Fleet Week, but riders should prepare for delays. Buses and MAX will be temporarily disrupted during bridge lifts for ship arrivals and departures.
For questions about Fleet Week activities, contact:
Sean Whalen, Portland Fire & Rescue Harbor Master
sean.whalen@portlandoregon.gov
503-209-8109
For questions about Multnomah County bridges, contact:
Sarah Hurwitz, Multnomah County Transportation Public Information Officer
971-500-3311
For questions about the Steel Bridge, contact:
Dylan Rivera, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) Public Information Officer
503-577-7534
Multnomah County maintains five Willamette River bridges: the Sellwood, Hawthorne, Morrison, Burnside and Broadway Bridges as well as the Wapato Bridge over the Multnomah Channel. For information, visit: https://www.multco.us/bridges.
The Steel Bridge is owned by Union Pacific Railroad, which allows access to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and TriMet.