Austin Marathon To Prompt Numerous Street Closures Sunday

AUSTIN, TX — Motorists should plan ahead to drive around the mass of humanity on local roadways that is the Austin Marathon on Sunday.

Key roads will close to traffic as early as 6 a.m. ahead of the marathon, although cars and pedestrians will be allowed to cross blocked-off intersections piecemeal ahead of the race. After that, drivers will come across an impasse as the streets will be totally cut off from traffic to accommodate marathon participants starting their run at 7 a.m.

All told, the marathon will prompt closures from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18.

Motorists won't be the only ones potentially inconvenienced by the big race. Capital Metro officials said 700 bus stops will be closed on Sunday to accommodate the marathon until 6 p.m. Those bus lines still active come Sunday will be either delayed or detoured as a result. To check if your bus route is affected, visit the Cap Metro website by clicking here.

Cap Metro officials said the following routes will be on detour: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 37, 100, 228, 300, 320, 331, 338, 801 and 803. On the website, detoured routes for each of those lines are meticulously detailed.

"The annual Austin Marathon and Half Marathon will cause significant disruptions to Capital Metro services on Sunday, Feb. 18, from the start of service until well after the event's conclusion," Cap Metro officials wrote on the website. "The marathon will cover ground from 45th Street in the north to Ben White Boulevard in the south, and Shady Lane to the east and the intersection of Lake Austin Boulevard and Enfield Road in the west part of the city.

The event begins at Congress Avenue and Cesar Chavez Street southward to Ben White Boulevard, with the finish line on Congress in downtown Austin. Given the location of the finish line, Congress will be closed just south of the Capitol all the way to Cesar Chavez until 6 p.m. on Sunday, according to organizers. Several blocks east and west of Congress also will be closed off to motor traffic.

Motorists are urged to plan ahead to accommodate racers, perhaps via such traffic-related apps as Waze and Google Maps. Drivers also are discouraged from parking along streets fronting the marathon route.

Austin Marathon officials released a traffic guide to assuage driver anxiety, which includes a map of the race route. To access the guide,click here. For its part, the Downtown Austin Alliance compiled a list of all the streets that will be blocked off come Sunday:

• 9th Street between Congress Avenue and Brazos Street.
• Congress Avenue between 11th Street and 4th Street.
• 10th Street between Brazos Street and Colorado Street.
• 9th Street between Colorado Street and Congress Avenue.
• 5th Street, 6th Street, 8th Street, 7th Street. between Brazos Street and Colorado Street/
• San Jacinto Boulevard between Martin Luther King Boulevard and East 15th Street.
• San Jacinto Boulevard between East 15th Street and E 11th Street.
• 11th Street between San Jacinto Boulevard and Guadalupe Street.
• 2nd Street, 3rd Street and 4th Street, between Brazos Street and Colorado Street.
• Congress Avenue between Cesar Chavez Street and 4th Street.
• Brazos Street between 7th Street and 11th Street.
• Cesar Chavez Street between Brazos and Guadalupe streets.
• South 1st Street between Riverside Drive and Cesar Chavez Street.
• Cesar Chavez Street between Guadalupe Street and MoPac Expressway (Loop 1).

If you opt to avoid the traffic hassles but still want to watch the race, Austin Marathon officials will offer live coverage of the run via Flotrack.com. Check it out by clicking here.

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