I’ve lost chunks of Saturday mornings to Monumental Marathon gridlock. It’s my fault. I always try to skate the outer edges of the course, maybe even try a new “secret way,” like a magic alley or a car-in-briefcase that I can sneak across the perimeter. It ends in the same embarrassment. Gridlock. The silence of it. I become an empty box. Shame to my family. It’s awful.
Saturday’s race is the marathon standard – 26.2 miles – but it looks ginormous because it runs right through Indy’s tummy:
Source: Photo Courtesy of Indianapolis Monumental Marathon / Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
Obviously, a marathon race in the “middle” of Indianapolis will make vehicular traffic unbearable. The best preparation is to prepare not-to-drive, especially around streets that are restricted for the race. Try this. Take the reopening time for a street, add thirty minutes (a cooling off period), and then maybe approach.
What time do streets open and close? Right here⬇
Source: Indianapolis Monumental Marathon / https://monumentalmarathon.com/
Most notable:
- Merdian St. from the White River to W. 46th St. ~ 9am – 1:30pm
- Meridian St. from Fall Creek Pkwy. to New York St. ~ 9:20am – 3:30pm
- Pennsylvania St. from Fall Creek Pkwy. to New York St. ~ 8:00am – 11:15am
- Fall Creek Pkwy. from Pennsylvania St. to Coliseum Ave. ~ 8:00am – 11:15am
- 38th St. from Coliseum Blvd. to Washington Blvd. ~ 8:00am -11:15am
- Washington Blvd. from 38th St. to E. 57th St. ~ 8:35am – 12:15pm
- Downtown streets ~ 7:50am – 10:00am
Thoughts:
- If you live in the Riverside neighborhood, you’re boxed-in to the south and west because of restrictions on Burdsal Pkwy. and N. White River Pkwy. E. Maybe stay local from 9:20am until the lanes clear at 3:30pm.
- Mapleton and Fall Creek Place? I’d stick a moldy lawn chair behind a sidewalk and spend 8:30am – 11:30am cheering on the runners🥈. This makes for a better Saturday than carrying your car accross 38th St.
- Meridian St. on the north side is trouble, twice over. The central north-south corridor is restricted from 46th St. to the White River for the race, then restricted near 71st St. for repaving. Best to make a note of this.
- Parts of downtown🌆 and the entire Mass Ave. Cultural District🎭 will be undrivable from 7:30am – 10am. Any downtown business or leisure could be reserved for afternoon/evening.
- E. 38th St. should be avoided from the fairgrounds to Meridian St. from 8am – 1:30pm. On the other side of Meridian, or W. 38th St., traffic should be “okay” until west of Michigan Rd. That’s where the western perimeter lies, and it likes to catch unsuspecting drivers.
- Being outside of the course is better than inside the course😜.
Questions? Write me at @MattINTraffic.
Take care of each other. Much love.
Matt
