RAGBRAI message from the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office

On Friday RAGBRAI will be making its way through Winneshiek County. Participants will be travelling an approximately 50-mile route through the county which means travel will be difficult in many areas during the day.

The Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office reports they are predicting 10,000 to 12,000 bicycles and an additional 3,000 to 4,000 support vehicles to be involved. This will all take place on Friday during Decorah's annual Nordic Fest celebration, which typically brings several thousand people to Decorah and Winneshiek County. The combination of these two events will make travel in many areas of the county very difficult, and in certain areas, halt traffic completely.

The Sheriff's Office says, "RAGBRAI will begin entering the county around 7:00 a.m. and is predicted to be through our county around 4:00 p.m. Riders and their support vehicles will span the county for the majority of the day since they don't all travel together. Therefore, travel in much of Winneshiek County will be difficult.

Although all county and state roadways along the route will officially remain open, travel will be very difficult during the heavy waves of bicycle traffic. Several city streets in the towns along the route will be closed. For a complete list of city streets closures, check with the respective community you are inquiring about.

We advise individuals and businesses who do not wish to partake in the events and festivities to plan accordingly. If you do plan to travel in Winneshiek County on Friday, be prepared for significant interruptions."