Thousands of marathon runners to hit streets, close roads in Valley this weekend
Jan 13, 2017, 3:41 PM
PHOENIX — If you have somewhere to drive to in the Phoenix area this weekend, keep an eye out for marathon runners.
Lots of them. Thousands of them. More than 23,000, to be somewhat precise.
The annual Rock n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and Half-Marathon takes place this weekend and runners will be covering a lot of ground between Phoenix and Tempe.
The event begins Saturday with a 5K run for kids around the northern Tempe area that starts at 8 a.m.
The run will close the Mill Avenue Bridge in both directions. Eastbound Curry Road between Mill and College avenues will also be closed at this time, along with College Avenue south of Curry Road and Lake View Drive between College and Mill avenues.
The big closures come Sunday with the marathon, half-marathon and 10K. A slew of roads will be shut down and others — including freeways — will be restricted as runners wind their way from downtown Phoenix, through Scottsdale, and eventually finish near downtown Tempe.
Dozens of bus routes will be affected by the race. The light rail will also be affected, as three stations will be closed for a majority of the day and trains may be moving slower because of the foot traffic.
Drivers are asked to use caution near the race routes and plan for additional travel time. People who live near the marathon course should check out the website for additional information on how to get around this weekend.
