Fifteen thousand runners are set to take over Portland streets Sunday for the annual Portland Marathon, and drivers across the city should brace for Sunday bridge closures, detours, and TriMet disruptions, with the Broadway Bridge closure extending into Monday morning. The race, one of Oregon's largest running events, returns with its familiar mix of marathon, half-marathon, 10K, and kids run distances, all starting and finishing along Naito Parkway.
According to KATU, Multnomah County has confirmed that several Portland bridges will see full or partial closures on Sunday to accommodate the course. The Broadway Bridge takes the biggest hit, closing entirely to vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists from 6:30 a.m. Sunday until 9 a.m. Monday, per the station's report. Runners will cross that span on their way toward the Moda Center in the Rose Quarter, part of a route that touches four Willamette River bridges before finishing downtown, according to FindMyMarathon.
Bridge-by-Bridge Closures Sunday
The disruptions extend well beyond Broadway. The Burnside Bridge will have one westbound lane closed from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., while the Morrison Bridge's south sidewalk and bike lane shut down from noon to 2 p.m., per the same account. The Sellwood Bridge loses its westbound lane from 6:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. as runners head into the historic Sellwood-Moreland and Eastmoreland neighborhoods, and the Hawthorne Bridge's Southeast Water Avenue ramp closes from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
TriMet is warning riders to expect detours and stop closures, with 16 bus lines changing routes starting at 5 a.m. Sunday, the station notes. MAX light rail trains will keep running through downtown Portland, but riders should build in extra travel time given the surrounding street closures.
A Course Built for Bostonians
The 26.2-mile marathon course is USATF-certified and officially recognized as a Boston Marathon qualifier, running along a low net-elevation loop that starts at 36 feet above sea level and tops out at just 178 feet, with elevation gains largely confined to short bridge ramps, according to FindMyMarathon. In 2025, 4.5% of full-marathon finishers hit Boston qualifying times, and the race ranked 31st nationally among U.S. marathons by total finisher volume, with 3,009 runners completing the full distance compared to 2,562 the year before.
Nike Returns as Title Sponsor
This year's race is presented by Nike Running, which renewed and expanded its partnership with the marathon in June as official footwear and apparel sponsor, offering Dri-FIT participant shirts, employee discounts, and pre-race training long runs in partnership with local retailer Foot Traffic, per Running USA.
Runners can pick up their race packets at Saturday's expo at the Oregon Convention Center ahead of Sunday's start.
The event traces its roots to November 1972, when 86 marathoners and about the same number of half-marathoners took part on Sauvie Island before relocating to North Portland in 1977 and moving its start and finish near City Hall in 1984, where it remained centered downtown, per the Oregon Encyclopedia.
Neighborhood Pride and Charity Dollars
Beyond the finish line, the race doubles as a civic engagement exercise. After the event, participants vote for their favorite neighborhood association along the course, with organizers awarding financial grants and traveling trophies to the top five groups, according to the Portland Marathon.
The Windermere Foundation has served as the marathon's official charitable sponsor, channeling race proceeds and grants toward shelter, food, and emergency support for low-income and homeless families in Oregon.
