SANTA CRUZ >> The race must go on. And it will, just with a new route.

Organizers of Santa Cruz’s beloved Wharf to Wharf race announced that ongoing closures at the Murray Street Bridge have forced them to implement a detour this year that maintains the mileage but cuts the number of wharves visited along the journey in half.

Instead of beginning at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, the 6-mile contest, now in its 53rd year, will fire the starting pistol along Portola Drive between 26th and 38th avenues. Participants will head west toward the Santa Cruz Harbor but will turn around just before the foot of the Murray Street Bridge.

The route will then hug the edge of the harbor along Lake Avenue, turn east and head back toward the coast where it reconnects with the traditional route for the final 4 miles.

The finish line will be staged near the Capitola Wharf at the corner of Cliff and Wharf roads, making for a long, cool descent to cap off the journey. Planners also noted in a recent announcement that the course will continue to be imbued with jubilant community members, live music and a spirit of giving that has kept the local tradition going for decades.

Race organizers wrote in the announcement that when they first learned of the bridge construction, they were under the impression that it would involve a single-lane closure that might have kept the prospect of maintaining the typical route alive. But in an effort to minimize traffic and local neighborhood impacts, and to shorten the overall length of the project, city planners eventually decided it was best to completely shutter the bridge temporarily.

Though they understood the need for the decision, Wharf to Wharf organizers wrote that it took extensive coordination and creative problem-solving to ensure the race moved forward.

The city of Santa Cruz implemented the full closure Monday and it is scheduled to remain that way through February. At that time, the eastbound lane will reopen to vehicle and bicycle traffic, while pedestrians may be allowed to pass in both directions, pending the completion of utility work. The westbound lane will remain closed to cars and bicycles until the project’s completion, which has been tentatively set for January 2028.

The Wharf to Wharf welcomes 16,000 runners to Santa Cruz County coast every year but began with only a handful of local participants in 1973.

In addition to a good workout, the event also acts as a significant community fundraiser and donates close to $250,000 each year to local schools and organizations.

If the starting line changes this year affect any registrants’ ability to participate, they can reach out to organizers at info@wharftowharf.com.