Road closures, bus route detours scheduled for Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend of Events
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- With more than 35,000 people set to take part in the Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend of Events, race organizers are announcing upcoming road closures starting on Friday.
P3R said initial Downtown road closures will start to build the finish line at noon on the Boulevard of the Allies between Wood Street and Stanwix Street on Friday, May 5. That stretch of road will stay closed through Sunday.
On Saturday, road closures will start at 6:45 a.m. and continue through noon on the North Side and Downtown for the 5K and kids marathon.
On Sunday, the marathon, half marathon and relay will close roads Downtown at 1:30 a.m. and road closures will continue around the city through 2:30 p.m. Several streets Downtown will be completely closed to traffic and if you know you may need to leave during the event, P3R is asking you to consider parking outside the area.
"All of our events compared to last year are trending upwards so that has added to the excitement for the event this year," said Brian Schmidt, P3R's director of operations.
Buccos fans will also be coming to the city to see the Pirates take on the Blue Jays on Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
"A lot of things going on in the city this weekend just adds to the excitement -- people coming from out of town, gives them something to do. We've been working in coordination with the Pirates to make sure that they're not affected too much," Schmidt said.
There will be parking restrictions as well. No parking signs will go up along the route 24 hours in advance.
Several Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus routes will also be detoured. A full list can be found on PRT's website.
"It is an inconvenience to the city shutting down this many roads, but the economic impact of the event, the charities -- we raise close to a million dollars for local and national charities, it's just great to see everyone coming back into Downtown. Plan ahead and give yourself some extra time. If not, come cheer runners on, Pittsburgh is known for having some of the best fans along the course," Schmidt said.
There's also a map for people who need to get in and out of the course during the marathon, which loops throughout the city.
The street closures include time for setup and cleanup, and they'll reopen on a rolling basis once city officials deem them clear, P3R said.
More information about road closures can be found on the Pittsburgh Marathon's website.