Rock 'n' Roll Marathon organizers promise easier flow to start line

For their second season, organizers of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon worked more closely with Raleigh police and downtown parking garages to eliminate the logjam created as thousands of runners head to the start line.

Posted 5:09 p.m. Apr 9, 2015 — Updated 9:44 p.m. Apr 9, 2015

RALEIGH, N.C. — Last year, tens of thousands of people packed downtown Raleigh to run and cheer in the city's first Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. So many people headed to the Davie Street start line from south of downtown that traffic backed up for miles before dawn and marathon organizers delayed the race's scheduled 7 a.m. start.

For their second season, race organizers worked more closely with Raleigh police and downtown parking garages to eliminate the logjam.

The peak traffic time for this Sunday's race will likely be between 5 and 6 a.m.

Those headed to the start line are advised to be parked no later than 5:30 a.m. Downtown parking garages will charge a flat $7 rate, and drivers will pay as they exit, easing the flow of traffic early in the morning.

Runners can be dropped off until 6 a.m.

After that time, the roads that make up the race route and much of downtown will be closed to vehicles.

Police will be directing traffic, and they suggest the following routes:

From the north: Take Capital Boulevard to Dawson Street
From the south: Exit I-40 at Person Street or Hammond Road; take South Person to Cabarrus or Davie streets
From the east: Exit I-440 at New Bern Avenue; continue on Edenton Street and make left onto Blount Street.
From the west: Enter downtown on Morgan Street

Drivers and downtown residents can expect some road closures through about 3 p.m. Sunday.

The race route

Runners wind east through Chavis Park and then north to Clark Avenue before the full marathon and half marathon routes diverge. Half marathoners make the turn at Hillsborough Street, circling back to the south through Pullen Park and returning to the finish line. The full marathon continues east to Meredith College before a leg that travels south to Lake Johnson and includes the off-road Dixie Trail. Marathoners finish up through Centennial Campus and back to downtown.

Law enforcement will be stationed along the route at the intersections designated to allow traffic to cross when it is safe for the runners.

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