The Great Columbia Crossing, an annual 10K over the Astoria Bridge into Washington state, will go virtual this year.

“We love this event. We’re committed to keeping it alive in whatever form is safe and reasonable to do,” said David Reid, the executive director of the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the October race. “It’s not over — it’s just changed for this year.”

The decision comes after many of the northern Oregon Coast’s most popular events have been canceled over coronavirus concerns.

“Many factors contributed to this decision and it was a decision we did not make lightly,” Kelsey Balensifer, the chamber’s event coordinator, said in a statement. “With the current circumstances, we cannot in good faith move forward with producing this event.”

The chamber’s decision was based on permitting and state restrictions, health and safety and event costs.

Because of both states’ event guidelines, the chamber wouldn’t be able to obtain event permits until mid-September at the earliest, according to the statement. Under Oregon’s phased reopening, gatherings of more than 250 people will likely be restricted until later this year.

The inability to follow social distancing guidelines was another reason the chamber decided to make the event virtual. Usually, about 3,500 people participate in the event.

“Staggered start times are not possible, given the strict course time limit imposed on our event,” said Kelsey Balensifer, the chamber’s event coordinator. “Social distancing is not feasible with the space limitations at our starting line area.”

The costs of putting on the event and the possibility of permit cancellations were another reason cited for the change.

“Having already canceled our biggest fundraising event of the year in April, our organization is in no position to absorb the financial risk of a possible last-minute cancellation,” Balensifer said, referring to the Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival.

The details of the Great Columbia Crossing are still being planned. The event will still be held in October around the originally scheduled date, Reid said.

“We want to keep that date central and maintain continuity with the 35 years of people doing this event,” Reid said. “This will be something to look forward to.”

The event will still be ticketed. Prices haven’t been determined.

“The details aren’t sorted yet other than the fact that we’re going to go virtual,” Reid said. “There are some really exciting ideas out there about how to run the event. There’s an opportunity to do more things for a longer time than our normal event.”

In 2016, the Great Columbia Crossing was postponed because of stormy weather and eventually canceled, the first time the race was called off.