Baltimore Running Festival Road Closures, Traffic Patterns

BALTIMORE, MD — Road closures and vehicle restrictions will be in place on Saturday, Oct. 21, for the Baltimore Running Festival. Approximately 25,000 participants are anticipated.

The marathon starts at 8 a.m. Saturday on Camden and Paca Streets. Many areas around the 26.2-mile race will experience significant delays throughout the day. The course travels downtown, around the Inner Harbor and Federal Hill, ending at McKeldin Square at the Inner Harbor, a change from previous years.

Other races will also be held throughout the festival: the Carefirst BlueCross BlueShield Half-Marathon, the ShopRite 5K Race, the Team Relay and Kids Fun Run.

Due to the event, people are encouraged to use public transportation. Taxis, buses and other mass transportation vehicles will be permitted downtown. The Charm City Circulator will run from 4 p.m. until midnight on Saturday, Oct. 21. The light rail/metro subway will be operating on a normal schedule.

"Traffic will be impacted in many city communities, and in order to minimize delays, motorists should use alternate routes outside of the race footprint," Baltimore City's Department of Transportation reported. City officials recommend using roads in these areas:

• North of 33rd Street
• South of McComas Street
• West of Martin Luther King Jr.
• East of Highland Avenue

During the 2017 Baltimore Running Festival, city transportation officials announced the following restrictions, noting strict enforcement will be in place:

• Linwood Avenue from Eastern Avenue to Fayette Street Midnight – 2 p.m.
• Eastern Avenue (north side) from Linwood to Patterson Park Avenues Midnight – 2 p.m.
• Boston Street (north side) from Aliceanna Street to Lakewood Avenue 2 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Lancaster Street from President to Exeter Streets 4 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• E. 33rd Street from Hillen Road to Guilford Avenue 4 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Maryland/Cathedral/Hopkins/Sharp Street from W. 29th to Pratt Streets 4 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Camden Street from Paca to Howard Streets 6 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Baltimore Street (south side) from President Street to Patterson Park Avenue 5 a.m. to noon
• Key Highway from Light to Lawrence Streets 4 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Fayette Street (south side) from Gay to Calvert Streets 6 a.m. to noon
• Hillen Road from E. 33rd Street to Mervo entrance 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The following streets will be closed to through traffic on Saturday, Oct., 2017:

• Paca Street from Pratt to Lombard Street 5:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
• Camden Street from Paca to Howard Streets 6:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
• Eutaw Street from Pratt to Camden Streets 7:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
• Russell Street from Lee to Pratt Streets 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• Russell Street at Hamburg Street 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• Hamburg Street Bridge from Russell to Leadenhall Streets 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• Key Highway from Cross to Light Streets 8:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
• Light Street from Lombard Street to Key Highway 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Light Street from Hughes Street to Key Highway 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 a.m.
• Pratt Street from Hopkins Plaza to Light Street 12:00 a.m. to clear at end of the event late Saturday afternoon
• Pratt Street from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to Hopkins Plaza – 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 (until marathon and half marathon clear the area)
• Pratt Street from Paca to Light Streets – 1:00 p.m. to clear
• Southbound Jones Falls Expressway exit ramp to 28th Street – 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

The following streets will be impacted by the marathon Saturday with lane closures in effect:

• Paca Street from Pratt to McCulloh Streets 8:05 a.m. – 8:31 a.m.
• McCulloh Street from Paca Street to North Avenue 8:10 a.m. – 8:47 a.m.
• McCulloh Street from North Avenue to Gwynns Falls Pkwy 8:15 – 9:03 a.m.
• Gwynns Falls Pkwy from Beechwood Drive to Mansion House Drive (in Druid Hill Park) 8:20 a.m. - 9:19 a.m.
• Mansion House Drive to Wyman Park Drive 8:25 a.m. to 9:35 a.m.
• Wyman Park Drive from Remington Avenue to W. 28th Street 8:30 a.m. – 9:51 a.m.
• W. 28th Street from Howard to St. Paul Streets 8:35 a.m. – 10:07 a.m.
• St. Paul Street from W. 28th to Light Streets 8:40 a.m. – 10:23 a.m.
• Light Street from Pratt Street to Key Highway 8:45 a.m. – 10:39 a.m.
• Key Highway from Light Street to Key Highway Extension to Hull Street 8:55 a.m. - 11:11 a.m.
• Hull Street to Key Highway Extension to Key Highway to Light Street 9:00 a.m. to 11:27 a.m.
• Light Street to Pratt Street to President Street to Lancaster Street 9:05 a.m. to 11:43 a.m.
• Aliceanna Street from President to Boston Streets 9:10 a.m. to 11:59 a.m.
• Boston Street to Lakewood Avenue to O’Donnell St. to Linwood Avenue 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
• Linwood Avenue from O’Donnell Street to Madison Street 9:20 a.m. to 12:31 p.m.
• Madison Street from Linwood Avenue to Washington Street to St. Lo Drive 9:25 a.m. to 12:47 p.m.
• Harford Road from St. Lo Drive to 30th Street to Hillen Road 9:30 a.m. to 1:35 p.m.
• Hillen Road from Lake Montebello to E. 33rd Street to Guilford Avenue 9:20 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Guilford Avenue from E. 33rd to W. 29th Streets 9:50 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• W. 29th Street from Guilford to Maryland Avenues 9:55 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• Maryland/Cathedral/Hopkins/Sharp St from W. 29th to Pratt Streets 10:00 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.
• To finish on Pratt Street between Charles and Light Streets 10:00 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.

Note: Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Hamburg and Russell Streets will remain open to through traffic in both directions during the marathon.

Commercial vehicles including tanker trailers will not be allowed in the Inner Harbor from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21. There will be strict enforcement in the following areas:

• Fayette Street from MLK to President Street (no commercial vehicles on or south of Fayette Street)
• President Street from Aliceanna to Fayette Streets (no commercial vehicles on/west of President Street)
• Light Street from Pratt Street to Key Highway
• Key Highway from Light to McComas streets
• Hanover Street from McComas to Montgomery streets (no commercial vehicles north of McComas Street, including Hanover Street)
• Pratt and Lombard Streets from MLK Boulevard to President Street
• I-395 at the MLK split to Pratt Street (no commercial vehicles will be permitted on I-395)

Information has been provided by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation.