Twin Cities In Motion Urges Motorists to Plan Ahead on Race Day
METRO Blue & Green Lines Free for Runners on Sept. 30 & Oct. 1
St. Paul, Minn. – September 26, 2017 – Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon organizer Twin Cities In Motion advises Minneapolis and St. Paul residents on the move on Sunday morning to plan travel ahead of time due to street closures for the 36th annual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and Medtronic TC 10 Mile on October 1.
On race day, motorists will notice traffic restrictions in downtown Minneapolis starting in the early morning hours on Sunday. An area near the U.S. Bank Stadium from 5th Avenue to 11th Avenue and from 6th Street to 3rd Street will be closed at 5:00 a.m. for start line setup, reopening at approximately 9:00 a.m., ahead of the noon Vikings home game.
Participants and spectators are reminded that northbound I-35W will be closed on Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend for Franklin Ave. overpass demolition, so those driving into downtown Minneapolis are urged to allow extra time to reach the start line or other destinations downtown.
Along the marathon course which runs from downtown Minneapolis, along the chain of lakes to Minnehaha Parkway, up West River Road to the Franklin Bridge, down East River Road to Summit Avenue, and to the finish at the state capitol will prompt rolling road closures on the course itself and limit traffic across it to selected crossing points. The crossing points are listed on the Twin Cities In Motion website at tcmevents.org/transportation.
At the finish area on the State Capitol grounds in St. Paul, following closures are scheduled:
• Summit Avenue between Ramsey Street and Portland Ave. will be closed from Saturday, September 30, at noon through Sunday, October 1, at 6:00 p.m. Traffic will be detoured on Portland Ave to Arundel Street.
• John Ireland Blvd. between 12th Street and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. will be closed Thursday, September 28, at 9:00 a.m. through Sunday, October 1, at 5:00 p.m.
• Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Aurora Avenue will be closed Friday, September 29, at 9:00 a.m. through Sunday, October 1, at 6:00 p.m.
• 12th Street from Wabasha to John Ireland Blvd. will be closed Saturday, September 30, from 5:00 a.m. to noon and on Sunday, October 1, from 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Franklin Avenue Bridge crossing the Mississippi River in Minneapolis will be closed to motor vehicle traffic while the 10 mile and marathon use the bridge. The motor vehicle closure is expected to last from roughly 5:45 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Parking: Motorists are reminded to take note of hooded meters and no parking signs along and near the course. Near the start line, event parking rates will apply on Sunday morning due to the Minnesota Vikings game later in the day. Finish line parking is available on the streets and in various lots around the Capitol grounds in Saint Paul. The Sears store west of the Capitol offers limited Event Parking near the finish line on a first-come first-served basis for $20.
METRO Lines: Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and Medtronic TC 10 Mile runners can ride the METRO Green and Blue Lines for free on Saturday, September 30, and Sunday, October 1, if they display their race bib. Event volunteers can ride METRO Red Line buses or METRO Green and Blue Line trains when they display a date-specific downloadable free ride pass for various times Thursday, September 28 , through Sunday, October 1.
More than 30,000 runners are expected for the 36th annual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend which includes events on Saturday, September 30, on and near the State Capitol grounds. For more information about the events, visit the Twin Cities In Motion website, tcmevents.org
