Portland bridges must raise for Fleet Week ship arrivals and departures. Oregonian file photo.
The Portland Rose Festival continues this week and that includes the arrival of several naval vessels that will dock along the seawall at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. As the ships arrive Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, three Portland bridges will need to raise for extended periods to allow them through.
The ships will dock on the west side of the Willamette River between the Steel and Morrison bridges. The Steel, Burnside, Broadway bridges will need to lift for the bulk of the fleet to arrive, interrupting street traffic. Travelers can use the Hawthorne or Morrison bridges as alternates. Bikes and pedestrians can use Tilikum Crossing.
TriMet is warning riders that buses and MAX lines will have disruptions during the multiple bridge lifts.
All MAX lines that cross the Steel Bridge will be stopped as long as the bridge is up. Since it’s not known how long the bridge lifts will last, TriMet is asking riders to be flexible and consider planning an alternate route if they can.
During the lifts, MAX trains and buses will hold at stations and stops near the river. Shuttle buses may be necessary to get riders around the disruption. Check trimet.org/alerts before heading out as service may change repeatedly.
Three ships will arrive between 2 and 3 p.m. Wednesday, and five ships move into position between 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday. Arrival times are estimates and the amount of time the bridges are raised varies. This information has been updated as of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday after the Rose Festival Association held a press briefing.
The ships will be open for tours/viewing on a first-come-first-served basis. Times for tours vary by vessel, June 8-12. Check the Rose Festival Fleet page for tour times.
Fleet Week ship tours are free, but there are some requirements:
Most of the ships will depart early Monday, June 13. Travelers should expect the same bridges to be raised for ships to pass through from about 8 to 10 a.m.
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