Street Closures, Restrictions, Outlined For 2023 Manchester Road Race

MANCHESTER, CT — The Manchester Road Race Committee Tuesday released details of race day street closures, parking restrictions and traffic disruptions for Thanksgiving morning.

The MRR is run on a 4.748 mile-long loop course through the town's central streets and is expected to attract more than 30,000 spectators and a field of approximately 10,000 runners to Manchester's downtown area.

The race starts at 10 a.m. It starts and finishes on Main Street, in front of St James Church.

Dr. Tris Carta, the President of the Manchester Road Race Committee, said that race organizers are cooperating with the Manchester Police Department, the Connecticut State Police and local officials to plan for the race and any related traffic issues.

"The safety of our runners, spectators and the general public is our primary concern," Carta said.

In preparation for the road race, Manchester Police have announced an on-street parking ban, from 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22, through 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day on the following streets:

• Linden Street from East Center to Locust Street
• East Center Street from Main Street to Center Street
• Main Street from Center Street to Hartford Road

If necessary, vehicles will be towed, authorities said.

Main Street will be closed to all traffic between Bissell Street and Maple Street at 5 :a.m. on Thanksgiving morning to allow crews to erect fencing and ropes along the roadway. Main Street closures will be extended from East Center Street to Charter Oak Street starting at 5:30 a.m.

All local roads intersecting the road race course will be closed at 9 a.m. Vehicular traffic will not be permitted to enter or leave the interior of the road race course from 9 a.m., until the race has ended (approximately 11:30 a.m.).

A map of the MRR course, which indicates the interior streets that will be affected by the closures, can be viewed on “Race Info & Rules” at www.manchesterroadrace.com.

Exit ramps on I-384 that abut the MRR race course will be closed from 8:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. They include Westbound Exit 3 (Charter Oak Street); Westbound Exit 4 (Highland Street); Eastbound Exit 3 (Main Street) and Eastbound Exit 4 (Wyllys St). No parking is permitted along the shoulders of I-384.

Normal traffic on the affected Manchester streets should resume at approximately 11:30 a.m.

"We want to alert everyone, especially the residents who live within the interior of the road race court, about the street closures so they can make their plans for the holiday," Carta said. "If you live in that area and need to travel on Thanksgiving morning, please be sure to leave before the roads close to traffic at 9 a.m."

Carta added that, due to the high volume of traffic expected in Manchester on Thanksgiving morning, the race committee will once again offer free shuttle bus rides to and from the event. The buses will run from the Manchester Community College parking lot before the race and return there after the event concludes. More information about the shuttle service, including the times of operation, can be viewed under "Shuttle, Parking and Rest Rooms" at www.manchesterroadrace.com.