November 21, 2024
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
Streets in a number of neighborhoods in the city will be closed to accommodate runners taking part in the races of Philadelphia Marathon Weekend.
For this weekend's Philadelphia Marathon races, Center City, the Art Museum area, Fairmount Park and even parts of West Philly and Manayunk will be overtaken by swarms of runners.
There are three races that make up Philadelphia Marathon Weekend: the Dietz and Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon and Rothman Orthopaedics 8K, both on Saturday, and the AACR Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday.
Organizers say there are 17,000 people registered for the marathon, and 15,000 for the half marathon plus another 5,000 for the 8K.
Motorists traveling in Philadelphia will see road closings starting Friday at 9:30 a.m. and lasting until Sunday afternoon. The Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be off-limits, as it serves as the staging area of the races and the start and finish lines. A long stretch of Columbus Boulevard south of Race Street will be closed, as will two Vine Street Expressway ramps and the Interstate 95 exit at Washington Avenue. Several SEPTA buses are also being rerouted to avoid the courses.
Some local access will be granted by Philadelphia Police for residents and businesses in affected neighborhoods, but drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can all expect delays trying to cross the route. Traffic will be allowed through intersections when possible, depending on the flow of runners.
No Parking signs will be placed along the race course and enforced. The city will begin towing cars at 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
To receive updates on the progress of the race, text RUNPHL to 888-777. The Office of Emergency Management will provide updates on X, formerly Twitter. Information on safety features and closures will be posted online by the Office of Special Event.
These organizations and institutions on and near the Ben Franklin Parkway will maintain normal hours and remain open, the city said: Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Barnes Foundation, Fairmount Water Works, The Franklin Institute, Free Library of Philadelphia's Parkway Central Branch, the Galleries at Moore College of Art and Design, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum and Eastern State Penitentiary.
The start time of 13.1-mile Philadelphia Half Marathon is 6:55 a.m. for push-rim wheelchairs and 7 a.m. for runners and walkers. It's scheduled to end at 11:30 a.m. The race starts at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and 22nd Street, moves over to the Columbus Boulevard, back across Center City and up into Fairmount Park before ending at Eakins Oval.
Saturday's 8K Run starts at 10:55 a.m. at 22nd Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The start time for Sunday's Philadelphia Marathon is 6:55 a.m. for push-rim wheelchairs and 7 a.m. for runners and walkers. The course follows along the same route as the half-marathon, moving through Spring Garden and several South Philly neighborhoods before heading back north and then west and crossing the Schuylkill River to West Powelton and Fairmount Park. The turnaround point is on Main Street in Manayunk and the marathon finish line is back at Eakins Oval.
Most of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be shut down for the weekend beginning Friday.
• From 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m, the inner drive lanes on the parkway will be closed in both directions.
• From 2:45 p.m. to the end of rush hour, the outbound inner drive lanes and the inbound inner drive lanes from 22nd Street to Logan Circle will be reopened.
• Following the conclusion of rush hour, all inner lanes from Binswanger Triangle to 20th Street will close through Sunday evening, although cross traffic will be allowed on 22nd and 21st streets as the races allow.
All roads except for Eakins Oval and a stretch of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway are scheduled to reopen by 2 p.m. on Saturday. Many streets in Center City and West Philadelphia will reopen sooner as they're cleaned. Eakins Oval will reopen by 5 p.m. The inbound inner drives of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will not reopen until Sunday at 5 p.m.
Road closures starting 2 a.m. Saturday:
• Inner drives of 2000 to 2400 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
• Spring Garden Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 23rd Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 22nd Street from Winter Street to Park Towne Place, although there will be local access to Park Towne Place
• 21st Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Winter Street
Road closures starting 3 a.m. Saturday:
• I-676 westbound off-ramp to 22nd Street
• 31st and Spring Garden streets
• I-676 eastbound ramp at Spring Garden Street going into Center City, although traffic for the Art Museum and its garage will be allowed.
Road closures starting 5:45 a.m. Saturday:
• Columbus Boulevard heading southbound from Callowhill Street to Walnut Street
Road closures starting 6 a.m. Saturday:
• 17th Street from Arch Street to Vine Street
• 18th Street from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 19th Street from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 20th Street from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 21st Street from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• 22nd Street from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to 20th Street
• Market Street from Sixth Street to 16th Street
• Chestnut Street from Fifth Street to 8th Street
• Fifth Street from Chestnut Street to Race Street
• Sixth Street from Market Street to Chestnut Street
• South Penn Square
• Juniper Street from Chestnut Street to Market Street
• John F. Kennedy Boulevard from Juniper Street to 17th Street
• 15th Street from Chestnut Street to Race Street
• 16th Street from Chestnut Street to Race Street
• Race Street from 6th Street to the Columbus Boulevard
• Columbus Boulevard going southbound from Callowhill Street to Washington Avenue
• The I-95 southbound off-ramp at Washington Avenue
• Washington Avenue from the Columbus Boulevard to Front Street
• Front Street from Washington Avenue to South Street
• South Street from Front Street to Seventh Street
• Sixth Street from Bainbridge Street to Locust Street
• Lombard Street from Fifth Street to Broad Street
• 13th Street from Bainbridge Street to Chestnut Street
• Walnut Street from 12th Street to 34th Street
• 33rd Street from Walnut Street to Spring Garden Street
• 34th Street from Walnut Street to Girard Avenue
• Spring Garden Street from 32nd Street to 34th Street
• Girard Avenue from 33rd Street to 38th Street
• 33rd Street from Girard Avenue to Cecil B. Moore Avenue
• Reservoir Drive from 33rd Street to Diamond Drive
• Mt. Pleasant Drive
• Fountain Green Drive
• Kelly Drive
Road closures starting 6:45 a.m. Saturday
• Columbus Boulevard southbound from Callowhill Street to Washington Avenue
• Columbus Boulevard northbound from Snyder Avenue to Callowhill Street
All streets will be reopened by 2:30 p.m. Sunday except for Eakins Oval and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which will reopen to traffic by 5 p.m. Many roads in Center City and West Philly will be opened sooner.
Road closures starting 2 a.m. Sunday:
• Inner drives of 2000 to 2400 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Spring Garden Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 23rd Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 22nd Street from Winter Street to Park Town Place, although there will be local access to Park Towne Place
• 21st Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Winter Street
Road closures starting 3 a.m. Sunday:
• I-676 westbound off-ramp at 22nd Street
• 31st and Spring Garden streets
• I-676 eastbound ramp at Spring Garden Street going into Center City, although traffic for the Art Museum and its garage will be allowed.
Road closures starting 5:45 a.m. Sunday:
• Columbus Boulevard heading southbound from Callowhill Street to Walnut Street
Road closures starting 6 a.m. Sunday:
• 17th Street from Arch Street to Vine Street
• 18th Street from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 19th Street from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 20th Street from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 21st Street from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• 22nd Street from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to 20th Street
• Arch Street from 3rd Street to 16th Street
• 4th Street from Arch Street to Vine Street
• Race Street from 6th Street to the Columbus Boulevard
• Columbus Boulevard heading southbound from Callowhill Street to Washington Avenue
• The I-95 southbound off-ramp at Washington Avenue
• Washington Avenue from the Columbus Boulevard to Front Street
• Front Street from Washington Avenue to South Street
• South Street from Front Street to 7th Street
• 6th Street from Bainbridge Street to Market Street
• Chestnut Street from 6th Street to 16th Street and 33rd Street to 34th Street
• 15th Street from Chestnut Street to Walnut Street
• 34th Street from Walnut Street to Girard Avenue
• Girard Avenue from 33rd Street to 38th Street
• Lansdowne Drive from Girard Avenue to South Concourse Drive
• South Concourse Drive from Lansdowne to West Memorial Hall Drive
• East Memorial Hall Drive from South Concourse to Avenue of the Republic
• Avenue of the Republic from East Memorial Hall Drive to Catholic Fountain
• Belmont Avenue from Montgomery Drive to Parkside Avenue
• States Drive to Lansdowne Drive
• Lansdowne Drive to Girard Avenue
• Girard Avenue Bridge from Lansdowne Drive to 33rd Street
• 33rd Street from Girard Avenue to Reservoir Drive
• Reservoir Drive from 33rd Street to Edgley Drive
• Edgley Drive from Reservoir Drive to Fountain Green Drive
• Fountain Green Drive from Edgley Drive to Kelly Drive
• Kelly Drive
• Falls Bridge
• Ridge Avenue from Schoolhouse Lane to Manyunk Avenue
• Main Street from Ridge Avenue to Conarroe Street
Road closures starting 6:45 a.m. Sunday:
• Columbus Boulevard southbound from Callowhill Street to Washington Avenue
• Columbus Boulevard northbound from Snyder Avenue to Callowhill Street
These SEPTA bus routes will be detoured beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday: K, R, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 38, 40, 42, 43, 47, 47M, 48, 57, 61, 64, 124/125 and trolley route 15. Routes 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48 and 49 will also have temporary detours in the morning during setup.
Regional Rail trails will stop at Suburban Station and 30th Street station to access the races' start and finish lines. Riders can plan ahead and stay informed on detours and other route updates through SEPTA's System Status page.
