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Nashville St. Jude Rock 'N' Roll Marathon: Getting Around Downtown, MetroCenter, The Gulch and Music Row On Race Day

Some tips on getting in, around and through Downtown, MetroCenter, The Gulch and Music Row during the marathon.

NASHVILLE, TN — The 2017 edition of the Nashville St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Marathon kicks off at 6:45 a.m. Saturday, April 29, and for those Nashvillians who have no intention of travelling the city by foot, road closures are likely to hamstring some plans for most of the day.

Much of downtown, The Gulch and Music Row will be inaccessible by car during the race, though local traffic will be permitted in some places.

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Check the road closure schedule and no parking zones for downtown, MetroCenter, The Gulch and Music Row.

Downtown, there will be access for local traffic only on Demonbreun Street on the south side of street from 12th Avenue South west to the Element Music Row. In The Gulch, local traffic will have an access lane on 12th Avenue South and 11th Ave South Division Street north to the Gulch Crossing building.

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In the MetroCenter area, officers will allow vehicles to cross the course, when safe to do so at:

  • French Landing & Vantage Way
  • Athens Way at Spring Hill Suites - to meter hotel guests from parking lot left onto Athens Way
  • Rosa Parks Blvd & Dominican - to meter Millenium hotel shuttles across Rosa Parks on Dominican

To access downtown during the race either exit Interstate 40 at Church Street or exit at the 2nd/4th Avenue exit and take First Avenue to locations north of Broadway or take Lafayette/8th Avenue as far as Demonbreun. To leave downtown, go west on Church to I-40 or go south on 1st Avenue, turn right on to Korean Veterans Boulevard and turn left on Fourth to access I-40.

To reach locations in the MetroCenter area north of Rosa Parks Boulevard:

  • Take Jefferson St (Exit 47) off of I-24. (If traveling I-24 East, turn right on Spring Street off of the exit; Spring becomes Jefferson)
  • Turn right onto 3rd Avenue and stay straight on 3rd. Pass Christie Cookie distribution center on left and the Metro Water Facility on right. Continue on 3rd Avenue, which becomes Dominican Drive and brings you into Metrocenter.
  • Turn right onto French Landing before the traffic light at Rosa Parks Boulevard.

To reach locations south of Rosa Parks, use southbound Clarksville Highway to come in from the north.

To reach locations on the east side of 11th and 12th Avenues in The Gulch:

From I-65:

  • Exit I-65 at Wedgewood Ave
  • Turn right onto 8th Ave S
  • Turn left onto Division
  • Turn right onto 12th Ave S into access lane

From I-40:

  • Exit I-40 at 2nd/4th Ave
  • Turn north onto 2nd Ave S
  • Turn left onto Elm St
  • Turn right onto Lafayette
  • Exit roundabout onto southbound 8th Ave S
  • Turn right onto Division St
  • Turn right onto 12th Ave S into access lane

To exit those locations:

To I-40:

  • Go east on Pine St (away from 12/11th Ave S)
  • Turn right onto Gleaves St
  • Turn left onto Overton St
  • Turn left onto Division St
  • Turn left on to 8th Ave S
  • Exit roundabout at first street onto eastbound Lafayette
  • Turn left onto Lea St
  • Turn right onto 4th Ave S to I-40

To I-65:

  • Go east on Pine St
  • Turn right onto Gleaves St
  • Turn left onto Overton St
  • Turn left onto Division St
  • Turn right onto 8th Ave S
  • Turn left onto Wedgewood to I-65

To reach locations west of 11th:

  • Exit I-40 at 2nd/4th Ave
  • Turn north onto 2nd Ave S
  • Turn left onto Elm St
  • Turn right onto Lafayette St
  • Exit roundabout at second street onto northbound 8th Ave S
  • Turn left onto Demonbreun. (The street will be barricaded for the race at 12th)
  • Turn left/south onto 12th Ave S

To exit locations west of 11th:

To I-40 East and I-65 South:

  • Go north onto 12th Ave S
  • Turn left onto Demonbreun into police-monitored access lane
  • Turn left onto 14th Ave S ramp to interstate
To I-40 East and I-40 West:
  • Go north on 12th Ave S
  • Turn right onto Demonbreun
  • Turn right onto 8th Ave S
  • Exit roundabout at second street onto southbound Lafayette St
  • Turn left onto Lea St
  • Turn right onto 4th Ave S to I-40 East or I-40 West
To access the Music Row area west of 17th Avenue, from Interstate 440, take Exit 3 (21st Ave.) and stay in lane for 431 North/ 21st Ave. Continue on 21st Avenue and turn right on Grand Avenue, Edgehill, or Wedgewood. To access points east of 16th Avenue, from I-65, take Exit 81 (Wedgewood Ave.) and turn right on 8th Avenue South, then turn left on South Street or Edgehill Avenue.

To leave the area west of 17th, go west towards 21st Avenue and then proceed to I-440. To leave the area east of 16th, go east towards Eighth Avenue, turn right on Eighth and then left on Wedgewood towards the interstate.

Image via Shutterstock

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