Will you be one of the 30,000 runners in the Country Music Marathon on Saturday in Nashville?

Apr 23, 2015 at 07:46 pm by bryan


An estimated 30,000 runners will take part in Saturday's annual St. Jude Country Music Marathon events (the full marathon, half marathon or 5K race) through multiple parts of Nashville.

Metro Police Officers will be working late Friday night into the early morning hours of Saturday to ensure the security integrity of the course. Citizens are strongly urged to mind the bagged parking meters and other no parking signs. Illegally parked vehicles will be towed beginning at 12 a.m. Saturday.

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The complete 26.2-mile marathon route will close to vehicle traffic by 6 a.m. Saturday, although the start area along lower Broadway will close to vehicle traffic at 3 a.m. Persons coming downtown for the start (6:45 a.m. for the 5K, 7 a.m. for the full & half marathon) and who intend to park in the Pinnacle Bank garage should be in that facility by 6 a.m. The final securing of the route will prevent traffic flow into the Pinnacle garage after 6 a.m. Those intending to park in the Music City Center garage must access it from Demonbreun Street at 7th Avenue.

Runners and spectators are strongly urged to arrive in the downtown area early and not wait until the last minute. A late surge of vehicles will cause traffic delays on interstate off ramps and around LP Field parking lots.

To help ensure the safety of all, "No Bag Zones" will be implemented along the start area on Broadway from 1st Avenue to 12th Avenue and at the LP Field finish area. Backpacks, duffel bags, travel bags, etc., regardless of whether they are being carried by race participants or spectators, will not be permitted in those areas. The exception is the clear plastic bags that will be issued to runners by race organizers.

Traffic along the course will be restricted until all runners have passed. However, every effort will be made to accommodate persons who need to cross the route to get into their places of employment or homes, so long as it does not directly interfere with the race. Emergency vehicles will be given priority to cross the route. Priority will also be given to emergency hospital access.
Several hundred MNPD members along with federal law enforcement partners will be working Saturday to provide a safe environment for all.

Click here to view a detailed listing of street closures and times.

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