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[DULUTH, MN]

GRANDMA'S MARATHON RACE WEEKEND TRAFFIC ADVISORIES - 2019

• 26th ANNUAL WILLIAM IRVIN 5K

           Friday, June 21, 2019, 6:00 p.m. Start

• 29th ANNUAL GARRY BJORKLUND HALF MARATHON    

           Saturday, June 22, 2019, 6:15 a.m. Start

• GARRY BJORKLUND DUO WHEELCHAIR HALF MARATHON    

           Saturday, June 22, 2019, 6:00 a.m. Start

• GRANDMA'S WHEELCHAIR MARATHON

           Saturday, June 22, 2019, 7:40 a.m. Start

• 43rd ANNUAL GRANDMA'S MARATHON:

           Saturday, June 22, 2019, 7:45 a.m.  Start

Traffic Advisory – Wednesday, June 19, 2019 – Canal Park Drive

On Wednesday, June 19, crews will be installing a temporary bridge over Canal Park Drive, between Buchanan Street and Morse Street, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The road will remain open, but motorists should expect short delays during this time.

Traffic Advisory - Friday, June 21, 2019 - WILLIAM A. IRVIN 5K

-The race will begin at 6:00 p.m.  Harbor Drive behind the DECC will close to traffic at 3:00 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., portions of Railroad Street will close to traffic for the duration of the race.

-Motorists should obey temporary “No Parking” areas on Railroad Street, Lake Place Drive, and Harbor Drive.  Violators will be ticketed and towed.

-Starting at 5:30 p.m., traffic delays will occur for approximately one hour as portions of Railroad Street close from Lake Ave. to Pier B Resort.   Southbound traffic on 5th Avenue West will be able to access the DECC parking lot via Railroad St. throughout the race.  Harbor Drive behind the DECC will also be closed to traffic.

-THE AQUARIUM parking lot will not be accessible from 5:45 p.m. until approximately 6:30 p.m. 

-ACCESS TO THE DECC during the race will be through the North Gate only (on Railroad Street), from Lake Avenue or 5th Avenue West. 

-Vehicles on northbound I-35 exiting on the 5th Ave. West off-ramp can either continue straight to Lake Avenue to access the DECC Lot or turn right onto 5th Avenue West to access either the DECC Lot or the Aquarium Lot.

-Most traffic should return to normal by 7:30 p.m.

-Watch for no parking signs, barricades, and Officers directing traffic when driving in the area of this event.

Traffic Advisory - Saturday, June 22, 2019 - MARATHON & HALF MARATHON

On FRIDAY, JUNE 21:

-At 12:00 noon on Friday, June 21, Canal Park Drive from Railroad Street to Buchanan Street will close to most traffic to allow for Grandma's finish line set up.  Guests staying in the hotels along Canal Park Drive will have limited use of the road to access their hotels on Friday.  Canal Park Drive will remain closed to automobile traffic until after the Grandma's Marathon Finish on Saturday June 22.

On SATURDAY, JUNE 22:

ROAD CLOSURES:

-Scenic Highway 61, between McQuade Road and Ryan Road, will close to traffic at 4:00 a.m. 

-The remainder of Scenic Highway 61, along Lake Superior from Duluth to Two Harbors, will close to traffic at 4:15 a.m. 

-Motorists should slow down and be alert to special signing and lane closures on the Highway 61 Expressway just south of Two Harbors, starting at 4:15 a.m.

-Lakewood, Homestead, Ryan, and McQuade Roads will close from the Highway 61 Expressway to Scenic Highway 61 at 4:15 a.m.

-Harbor Drive, from the DECC East Gate to the Aquarium, will be restricted to buses only at 4:30 a.m.  Harbor Drive will close to all traffic at 5:45 a.m.

-Most avenues leading to London Road will close at 4:30 a.m.

Starting at 5:45 a.m., the following roads will close to traffic and will remain closed until the end of the Marathon:

-All of London Road,

-Superior Street from 12th Avenue East to 3^rd Avenue East,

-Michigan Street from 4^th Avenue East to 5^th Avenue West,

-Commerce Street/Railroad Street, Lake Place Drive, and Canal Park Dr.

-The southbound lanes of I-35 from 21st and 26th Avenues East will close at 4:30 a.m. 

-The northbound lanes of I-35 will close at 5:45 a.m. from Mesaba Avenue to 26th Avenue East.  A detour will guide vehicles to 2^nd Street to continue east.

-Northbound traffic on I-35 will be diverted up Mesaba Avenue to 2nd Street at 5:45 a.m.

-Westbound traffic on 1^st St. will not be able to access Mesaba Avenue and will instead be diverted to Superior St. and I-35 at 6^th Ave. W. at 5:45 a.m.

-Interstate 35 and most other roadways closed for the Marathon will reopen by approximately 2:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. 

ACCESS & DETOURS:

PARK POINT AND CANAL PARK ACCESS:

The only access for motorists wanting to reach Park Point or the Canal Park area during the Marathon on Saturday will be on Lake Avenue from Superior Street.  There will be no vehicle access to Park Point or Canal Park from 5^th Ave. W. 

DECC ACCESS:

Motorists wanting to reach the DECC or Bayfront area during the Marathon on Saturday must use either 5^th Ave. W. or Garfield Ave. to Railroad St.  There will be no vehicle access to the DECC from Lake Ave.

LONDON ROAD ACCESS

New for 2019:  All of London Road will close to traffic from 5:45 a.m. until approximately 2:00 p.m.  Local residents and spectators along London Road can use Superior St. and Jefferson St. to access the avenues above London Road for parking during the Marathon.  Spectators are encouraged to continue using the sides of London Road for watching the race.

DEPOT, LIBRARY, AND GATEWAY TOWER ACCESS

The Depot, the Library, and Gateway Towers will be accessible from Superior St. to 6^th Ave. W. during the Marathon.

THE FOLLOWING DETOURS WILL BE IN PLACE FOR I-35, LONDON ROAD, SUPERIOR STREET, AND MICHIGAN STREET, STARTING AT 5:45 A.M., SATURDAY:

-EASTBOUND LOCAL STREETS AND NORTHBOUND I-35 DETOUR- Traffic will use 2^nd Street from Mesaba Ave. to 21st Avenue East, then proceed south to Superior Street, and continue east on Superior Street. 

-WESTBOUND LOCAL STREETS AND SOUTHBOUND I-35 DETOUR - Traffic will use Superior Street from the Highway 61 Expressway to 21^st Avenue East, proceed north on 21^st Avenue East, then continue west on 3^rd Street to Mesaba Ave. 

PARKING:

PARKING IS NOT ALLOWED ON ANY PART OF THE RACE COURSE.  Please observe the posted "No Parking" signs.  Violators will be ticketed and towed. 

CANAL PARK AREA PARKING

Motorists wanting to park near Canal Park are encouraged to use the BAYFRONT PARK LOTS, the DECC,  the Aquarium lot, or Downtown areas near Lake Avenue. 

Motorists wanting to reach the DECC or Bayfront area during the Marathon on Saturday must use either 5^th Ave. W. or Garfield Ave. to Railroad St. from 5:45 a.m. until the end of the Marathon.    There will be no vehicle access to the DECC from Lake Ave.

DOWNTOWN PARKING

On-street and ramp parking will be available along Superior Street from 6th Avenue East to Lake Avenue and along 1^st Street.

Michigan Street, from 4^th Avenue East to 5^th Avenue West, will close to traffic during the Marathon.  No on-street parking will be allowed on Michigan St. 

Motorists who park in Michigan St. parking ramps prior to the road closure will not be able to exit the ramp until the Marathon ends Saturday afternoon.

Opportunities to view runners Downtown will exist on the avenues above Michigan Street, Lake Place Park, Lake Avenue, and west of Lake Avenue on Michigan Street.

BUS ROUTES:       

Eastbound DTA buses from the Downtown area will take 2^nd Street to 14^th Ave. East, south to Superior Street at 14^th Ave. E., east to 20^th Ave. East, north to 2^nd Street, east to 21^st Ave. East, and south to Superior Street to continue eastbound on Superior St. 

Westbound DTA buses from the Lakeside area will take Superior Street to 21^st Ave. East, north to 1^st Street, and westbound on 1^st Street to Mesaba Avenue.

The Duluth Transit Center will be open, but no buses will be serving it during the Marathon.

Jefferson Lines will use the parking lot adjacent to the M&H Gas Station in the 1200 block of West Michigan St. for passenger embarking and disembarking.

BE ALERT!

Motorists in Duluth should be prepared to encounter high traffic volume and temporary delays throughout the Marathon weekend.  Drivers in the Canal Park and DECC areas will encounter long delays Friday evening and Saturday. 

Please be alert and drive safely.

Questions regarding this traffic notice can be directed to Officer Tom Maida, Duluth Police Department Traffic Division, 218-730-5502.

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