Bike the West Seattle Bridge During Emerald City Ride

The West Seattle Bridge offers some of the best views of the Seattle skyline and Duwamish River, but only people stuck in car traffic typically get to see the city’s beauty from this high vantage.

That changes on April 25 when Cascade Bicycle Club’s historic Emerald City Ride returns, offering people on bikes the chance to pedal car-free over the West Seattle Bridge with thousands of others.

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Last held in 2024, the Emerald City Ride is "a rare opportunity to enjoy unobstructed views of the Seattle skyline and the scenic splendor of the Puget Sound,” says Cascade Executive Director Lee Lambert. “This is your chance to experience Seattle like never before from the saddle of a bicycle on one of the city’s highest bridges.”

Registration opens next Tuesday, Feb. 24.

See the 20-mile route and ride details

Cascade worked with the City of Seattle and the Washington State Department of Transportation to temporarily close the westbound lanes of the West Seattle Bridge and the southbound lanes of Washington State Route 99 to motor vehicles for several hours on the morning hours of Saturday, April 25.

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After crossing the bridge, riders will follow the Alki Trail along the waterfront past Alki Beach and southward to Fauntleroy before climbing uphill to Delridge and looping through West Seattle on low-traffic streets. Riders then return to the start/finish line via the Spokane Street Bridge and the new East Marginal Way separated bike path.

Approximately 3,000 people biked in the 2024 Emerald City Ride, and Cascade hopes to attract 4,000 people this year. Check out photos of the happy humans–and multiple dogs in baskets–who joined the 2024 Emerald City Ride in our story, “Dogs on the Bridge!”

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The Emerald City Ride harkens to the CicLAVia events held in Los Angeles and other parts of the world where streets and highways are closed to motor vehicles for several hours and turned over to people on bicycles.

History and Background

This will be the sixth Emerald City Ride. Held from 2016 to 2019, Emerald City is a fundraiser for Cascade’s bike advocacy, education and community building programs. That means everyone who registers is supporting Cascade’s mission of improving bicycling for all.

Emerald City offers tiered pricing--enabling people to pay what suits their budget or donate extra if they have have the financial means. 

Click here to see our Flickr photo album from the 2024 Emerald City Ride. And watch the video below from Best Side Cycling to see the excitement of riding over the West Seattle Bridge and on a highway closed to cars.

Past Emerald City Rides

2016: 

• 6,926 riders
• Bike takeover and grand opening of the 520 Bridge
• Highlights: Start and finish at Husky Stadium, out and back on the 520 Bridge, I-5 Express Lanes, and a snack stop in the International District.

2017:

• 6,914 riders
• “Freeway loop.”
• Highlights: 520 Bridge, Interstate 90 Express Lanes and I-5 Express Lane.

2018:

• 7,062 riders
• “Viaduct Ride”
• Highlights: I-5, Aurora Bridge, and the SR 99 Viaduct bridge before it was demolished as part of the Tunnel project

2019:

• 2,571 riders
• This Emerald City Ride was overshadowed by the Tunnel Ride on February 3, which drew an incredible 12,000 riders.
• Highlights: through the SR-99 Tunnel and up onto the I-5 Express Lane.

2024:

• 3,000 riders
• The 2024 ride got a big publicity boost when the Seattle Times Editorial Board criticized the city for granting Cascade a permit to close city streets. The editorial received strong backlash from the public and Cascade members, leading to increased registrations.

Mark your calendars and check back here next Tuesday when registration opens for Emerald City Ride 2026.