[Baltimore Sun] 2024 Baltimore Running Festival: What to know about parking, road closures and more

The annual Baltimore Running Festival will take place Saturday with more than 13,000 runners expected to participate in the 24th iteration of the event. Runners are expected to enjoy perfect weather, with sunny skies and a forecasted high temperature in the mid-70s.

With more than 10,000 runners making their way through the streets of Baltimore on Saturday, traffic will be significantly altered this weekend. The Baltimore City Department of Transportation urges people to plan ahead Saturday, given the expected traffic changes. The department outlines road closures, but it also recommends downloading the Waze app for real-time information related to detours and road closures.

The 5K race will begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, with the marathon and 10K beginning shortly after that. More than an hour later, the half-marathon begins.

Here’s a detailed look at race details and transportation impacts for this year’s running festival:

When and where do races start?

The 5K begins at Pratt and Light Streets at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Thirty minutes later, at 8 a.m., the marathon and 10K races begin at Camden and Paca Streets outside of Camden Yards.

Then, at 9:45 a.m., the half-marathon race starts at Pratt and Light Streets. The half-marathon and 5K have the same starting location, with the half-marathon beginning a little over two hours after 5K runners begin their run.

When and where do races end?

Races end on Pratt Street between Charles and Light streets, and all races are expected to be completed by 3 p.m. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a finish line party at the Inner Harbor, which will include music, games, food and drinks. Activities at the “Celebration Village Finish Line Party” are free and open to the general public.

Public transportation alterations

Baltimore City’s Department of Transportation strongly encourages both residents and visitors to take advantage of public transportation Saturday given the road closures and altered traffic patterns. According to the department, “the MDOT MTA Light RailLink and Metro SubwayLink are great options for traveling into and out of the city, as they will not be affected by the marathon.”

The Charm City Circulator will be impacted, as it won’t be in operation from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Circulator services resume around 4 p.m. Saturday and will run through midnight.

Traffic changes for race setup

While the races don’t begin until Saturday, transportation will be impacted before race day. There will be a left lane closure (next to the median) of southbound Light Street from Pratt to Conway streets starting at 10 a.m. Thursday. A full closure of Pratt Street from Charles to Light streets takes place at 9 p.m. Friday, and that portion of Pratt Street will remain closed until the event concludes and clears late Saturday afternoon. An official time for the reopening of Pratt Street on Saturday is to be determined.

Marathoners run out of the starting gate at the Baltimore Running Festival in 2022. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff)

Parking restrictions from 10 p.m. Friday through 6 p.m. Saturday

There will be several parking changes beginning Friday night and spanning through most of the day Saturday. Those restrictions include:

Linwood Avenue between Eastern Avenue and Madison Street
Madison Street between Linwood and Washington Streets (north side only)
Washington Street between Madison Street and Sinclair Lane
Eastern Avenue between Linwood and Patterson Park Avenues (north side only)
Boston Street between Aliceanna Street and Lakewood Avenue (north side only)
Lancaster Street between President Street and Central Avenue
33rd Street between Hillen Road and Guilford Avenue
28th Street between Howard and St. Paul Streets
Paul Street between 28th and Baltimore Streets
Maryland Avenue/Cathedral Street/Liberty Street/Hopkins Place/Sharp Street between 29th and Pratt Streets
Camden Street between Howard and Paca Streets
Baltimore Street from President Street to Patterson Park Avenue (south side only)
Key Highway between Light and Lawrence Streets
Fayette Street between Calvert and Gay Streets (south side only)
Hillen Road between Harford Road and 33rdStreet (east side only)
Harford Road between St. Lo Drive and Hillen Road (east side only)
Hillen Road between 33rd Street to Mervo High School entrance
Calvert Street between Pratt and Fayette Streets
Druid Park Lake Drive Access Road between Lakeview Avenue and Mt. Royal Terrace
Charles Street between North and Lafayette Avenues
Lafayette Avenue between Charles Street and Maryland Avenue
McCulloh Street between Paca Street and Druid Park Lake Drive (east side only)
Howard Street between 29th and 28th Streets
Patterson Park Avenue between Baltimore Street and Eastern Avenue (east side only)
Aliceanna Street between Caroline and Boston Streets
O’Donnell Street between Lakewood and Linwood Avenues
Guilford Avenue between 33rd and 29th Streets
29th Street between Guilford and Maryland Avenues
Lee Street between Light and Charles Streets (north side only)
Charles Street between Lee and Barre Streets (east side only)
Central Avenue between Dock and Point Streets (west side only)
Charles Street between Pratt and Lombard Streets (west side only) — parking restrictions begin at 6 p.m. Friday

Additional race-day traffic restrictions and road closures

An interactive map of road closures can be found on the Baltimore Marathon’s website. The city’s Department of Transportation says, “The following streets will be SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED (part of the running route) AND/OR CLOSED to through traffic on Saturday.”:

Russell Street from Lee to Pratt Streets 6 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Camden Street between Paca and Howard Streets 6 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Eutaw Street between Pratt and Camden Streets 6 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Paca Street between Camden and McCulloh Streets 6:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Key Highway between Light Street and Key Highway Extension 6:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

7 a.m. closures:

Lee Street between Light and Charles Streets until 9:30 a.m.
Charles Street between Lee and Pratt Streets until 9:30 a.m.
McCulloh Street between Paca Street and Gwynns Falls Pkwy until 10 a.m.
Beechwood Drive, Mansion House Drive, and East Drive within Druid Hill Park until 10 a.m.
Russell Street at Hamburg Street until 10 a.m.
Wyman Park Drive between Druid Hill Park and 29th Street until 11 a.m.
Howard Street between 29th and 28th Streets until 11 a.m.
28th Street between Howard and St. Paul Streets until 11 a.m.
Calvert Street between Pratt and Baltimore Streets until 1 p.m.
Pratt Street between Green and Eutaw Streets (until the marathon and half-marathon clear the area) until 1:00 p.m.
Pratt Street between Howard and President Street until 6 p.m.
Hamburg Street Bridge between Russell and Leadenhall Streets until 1 p.m.

7:30 a.m. closures:

Druid Park Lake Drive between McCulloh Street and Lakeview Avenue until 10 a.m.
Druid Park Lake Drive access road between Lakeview Avenue and Mt. Royal Terrace until 10 a.m.
Lakeview Avenue between Druid Park Lake Drive and Druid Park Lake Drive access road until 10 a.m.
Royal Terrace between Druid Park Lake Drive Diversion and North Avenue until 10 a.m.
North Avenue (eastbound) between Mt. Royal Terrace and Charles Street until 10 a.m.
Charles Street between North and Lafayette Avenues until 10 a.m.
Lafayette Avenue between Charles Street and Maryland Avenue until 10 a.m.
Paul Street/Light Street (southbound) between 28th and Lombard Streets until 11:30 a.m.

8 a.m. closures:

Key Highway Extension between Key Highway and Haubert Street until 12 p.m.
Light Street (southbound) between Lombard Street and Key Highway until 12 p.m.
Light Street (northbound) between Henrietta Street and Key Highway until 12 p.m.
President Street (southbound) between Pratt and Lancaster Streets until 1 p.m.
Lancaster Street between President Street and S. Central Avenue until 1 p.m.
Central Avenue between Lancaster and Point Streets until 1 p.m.
Point Street between S. Central Avenue and S. Carolina Street until 1 p.m.
Caroline Street between Point and Aliceanna Streets until 1 p.m.
Aliceanna Street between Caroline and Boston Streets until 1 p.m.
Boston Street between Aliceanna and Lakewood Streets until 1 p.m.
Lakewood Street between Boston and O’Donnell Streets until 1 p.m.
O’Donnell Street between Lakewood and Linwood Streets until 1 p.m.
Linwood Street between O’Donnell and Madison Streets until 1 p.m.
Jones Falls Expressway (I-83) Southbound Exit Ramp to 28th Street until 12 p.m.
Jones Falls Expressway (I-83) Southbound Exit Ramp to North Avenue until 12 p.m.

8:30 a.m. closures:

Madison Street between Linwood and Washington Streets until 2 p.m.
Washington Street/St. Lo Drive between Madison Street and Harford Road until 2 p.m.
Harford Road between St. Lo Drive and Hillen Road until 3 p.m.
33rd Street, Whitman Drive, and Curran Drive at Lake Montebello until 3 p.m.
33rd Street (westbound) between Hillen Road and Guilford Avenue until 3 p.m.
Hillen Road (northbound) between Harford Road and 33rd Street until 3 p.m.
Hillen Road between 33rd Street and Kennewick Road until 3 p.m.

9 a.m. closures:

Baltimore Street between Calvert and Patterson Park Avenue until 1 p.m.
Patterson Park Avenue between Fayette Street and Eastern Avenue until 1 p.m.
Eastern Avenue between Patterson Park and Linwood Avenues until 1 p.m.
Guilford Avenue between 33rd and 29th Streets until 4 p.m.
29th Street between Guilford and Maryland Avenues until 4 p.m.
Maryland Avenue/Cathedral Street/N. Liberty Street/Hopkins Place between 29th Street to Pratt Street until 4 p.m.
Pratt Street between Howard and Light Streets (until the marathon and half marathon clear the area) until 4 p.m.

Parking restrictions and road availability are subject to change on race day.

Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin.

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