Major roads will be closed for Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps Marathon is a major event in the D.C. area, one that participants relish and drivers dread.

Major roads in Arlington, Georgetown and downtown Washington are closed for the marathon that began at 7:45 a.m.

The race course for runners and the obstacle course for drivers hasn’t changed much since last year. The affected major routes include Route 110, outbound Spout Run Parkway, northbound George Washington Parkway, the Key Bridge, Rock Creek Parkway and avenues near the Tidal Basin.

The road closures for the first few miles of the race course in Arlington, Virginia — Lee Highway, Spout Run Parkway and the George Washington Parkway will likely be the first to reopen. Last year, traffic began flowing on these routes by late morning.

Driving into Georgetown will be tricky for most of the morning. D.C. Police will likely block portions of Canal Road and Foxhall Road to keep inbound traffic away from the runners on M Street and K Street.

Miles 6 through 10 are along Rock Creek Parkway. The entire length of the parkway’s northbound and southbound lanes — between the Kennedy Center and Woodley Park — will be closed through at least noon.

South of the Lincoln Memorial, the “Run to Honor” stretch of the marathon, adorned with flags and pictures of fallen service members closed Ohio Drive. The small roads and parking lots in East and West Potomac Park are closed, but drivers will be able to access the East Potomac Park Golf Course and Tennis Bubble using the ramps from the Southeast-Southwest Freeway.

From Hains Point, the race winds alongside the Tidal Basin. Independence and Maine avenues are off-limits to drivers for much of the day. Regular weekend drivers are accustomed to occasional closures of these two routes.

The loop around the National Mall means that all the numbered streets crossing it are closed for much of the day. This is one of the few annual events that closes every street across the Mall. All of the tunnels under the Mall are open. Although the 12th Street Expressway will remain open during the race, inbound traffic will likely be jammed through the tunnel given the numerous road closures.

The Interstate 395 mainline is open across the 14th Street Bridge. The runners will use the express lanes on I-395 to cross the bridge as they head for Virginia at mile marker 20. D.C. Police plans to reopen these lanes to vehicle traffic during the 1 p.m. hour. The marathon’s organizers require all runners to have passed this point before 1:15 p.m. Traffic will likely be heavy both ways on I-395 through Southwest Washington.

Route 110 will be closed near the finish line between I-66 and Crystal City for much of the day.

United States Park Police remind there is no parking allowed along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Route 110, or Memorial Avenue.

In addition,  all national parks prohibit the use of unmanned aircraft systems. According to Park Police, the entire race route falls within a national flight restricted zone.

An interactive map of the route can be found on the Marine Corps Marathon website.

Metrorail

The Metrorail system opened early, at 5 a.m., to accommodate the participants and spectators. Anticipating an early surge of riders, Metro will be running extra trains on the blue line between Franconia-Springfield and Stadium-Armory periodically throughout the day.

Pentagon Station is closest to the starting line. Metro says that riders can avoid crowds by disembarking at Pentagon City.

 Metro says the Arlington Cemetery Station  should only be used to access to finish festival or to leave the event.

There is no scheduled track work on Sunday.

Road closures

Here’s the full list of D.C. road closures. The roads are expected to reopen by 1 p.m.:

• Francis Scott Key Bridge
• Canal Road NW from M Street NW to Reservoir Road NW
• Reservoir Road NW from MacArthur Boulevard NW to Canal Road NW
• MacArthur Boulevard NW from Foxhall Road NW to Reservoir Road NW
• Foxhall Road NW from Canal Road NW to MacArthur Boulevard NW
• M Street NW from Canal Road NW to Wisconsin Avenue NW (Westbound M Street will remain open up to Wisconsin Ave NW.  Motorists will be forced to turn north on Wisconsin Avenue NW from M Street NW or east from Wisconsin Avenue NW to M Street NW.  Westbound M Street NW will remain open unless otherwise determined.)
• Wisconsin Avenue NW from M Street NW to K Street NW
• K Street NW from Wisconsin Avenue NW to Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
• Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NW from K Street NW to Independence Avenue SW
• Memorial Bridge
• West Potomac Park
• East Potomac Park (access to the golf course and tennis courts will be available)
• Maine Avenue SW from East Basin Drive SW to Independence Avenue SW
• Independence Avenue SW from Maine Avenue SW to Ohio Drive SW
• Ohio Drive SW between independence Avenue SW and Lincoln Circle SW
• Lincoln Circle SW from Ohio Drive SW to Henry Bacon Drive NW
• 23rd Street NW from Lincoln Circle NW to Constitution Avenue NW
• Constitution Avenue NW from Bacon Drive NW to 15th Street NW
• 15th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
• 17th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
• Madison Drive NW from 15th Street NW to 3rd Street NW
• 3rd Street NW from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW
• Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 3rd Street NW to East Capitol Circle NW
• 1st Street from Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Maryland Avenue SW
• Maryland Avenue SW from South Capitol Circle SW to 3rd Street SW
• Jefferson Drive SW from 3rd Street SW to 15th Street SW
• 14th Street SW from Jefferson Drive SW to the Northbound HOV lanes
• HOV lanes from 14th Street SW to the HOV ramp at South Eads Street NW

Here’s the full list of closures for Arlington, courtesy of the Arlington County website:

4:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.    Marshall Drive from North Meade Street to Route 110

4:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.    North Meade Street from Marshall Drive to Lynn Street

4:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.    Route 110 from I-66 to Jefferson Davis Highway

4:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.    Wilson Boulevard from North Nash Street to Route 110

4:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.    Lynn Street from North Meade Street to Lee Highway

4:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.    Fort Myer Drive from North Meade Street to Lee Highway

4:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.    North Moore Street from Wilson Boulevard to Lee Highway

4:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.    19th Street North from Lynn Street to North Nash Street

4:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.    Route 110 ramp from Washington Blvd. to Pentagon North parking

7:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.   Lee Highway (eastbound) from Lynn Street to North Kirkwood Street

7:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.   Spout Run Parkway from southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) to Lee Highway

7:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.   GWMP from Spout Run to Memorial Circle Drive

7:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Francis Scott Key Bridge (all lanes)

7:35 a.m.–2:00 p.m.    HOV lanes from 14^th Street SW to HOV ramp at South Eads Street

7:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.    South Eads Street from South Rotary Road to Army Navy Drive

7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.   Army Navy Drive from South Fern Street to 12^th Street South

7:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m.   15^th Street South from Crystal Drive to South Eads Street

7:30 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.  12^th Street South from Army Navy Drive to Crystal Drive

7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  Crystal Drive from 12^th Street South to 23^rd Street South

7:30 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.   23^rd Street South from Crystal Drive to North Clark Street

7:30 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.   Longbridge Drive from 12^th Street South to I-395

7:30 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.   Boundary Channel Drive from I-395 to Pentagon North Parking

7:30 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.  Washington Blvd. from Columbia Pike to Memorial Circle

(southbound lanes will reopen at approximately 9:30 a.m.)