Roads closed, bus routes disrupted Saturday for annual Toy Run. Here’s what to know
Olympia’s 46th annual Toy Run, a motorcycle ride for charity, will disrupt several Intercity Transit bus routes and cause some street closures on Saturday, Dec. 2, as the bikers make their way from Lacey to Capitol Lake.
Motorcyclists will gather for the Toy Run at South Sound Center on Sleater Kinney Road starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and they will begin riding at 1 p.m. to their final destination at Marathon Park in downtown Olympia.
Kellie Braseth, a City of Olympia spokesperson, told The Olympian that thousands of motorcycles participate in the annual event and there might be some temporary disruptions to the flow of traffic. She said that police will provide traffic control at crucial points along the route.
The motorcycle parade route is expected to cause road closures on Pacific Avenue, State Avenue, Capitol Way South between State Avenue and Fifth Avenue Southwest. Deschutes Parkway will be closed between Lakeridge Drive and Fifth Avenue but will be open to traffic and parking south of Lakeridge Drive.
Braseth said that the street closures could cause inconvenient traffic delays, but it won’t last long.
“It can jam up traffic a little temporarily,” Braseth said. “But the good they do is tremendous and this is a beloved tradition.”
Intercity Transit bus changes
Several Intercity Transit bus service routes are expected to be disrupted between 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. for the Toy Run.
According to an Intercity Transit press release, service will be temporarily suspended on the following routes:
Routes 12, 13, 21, 41, 45, 47, 48, 60, 62A, 62B, 64, 66, 94, and 620.
Additionally, Route 12 will be on detour from the start of service until 5 p.m due to the closure of Deschutes Parkway.
Intercity Transit encourages riders to plan accordingly and to avoid traveling during the time of the parade. Visit intercitytransit.com/toy-run to view canceled or suspended routes.
This story was originally published December 1, 2023 at 1:33 PM.
