Wilmington Marathon course, traffic delays and an early start: What you need to know for Saturday
A record number of runners are scheduled to take to the streets for Saturday's annual Novant Health Wilmington NC Marathon.
According to race organizers, more than 4,300 runners from 48 states and six countries are expected to participate in the 5K, half marathon or marathon in the 14th edition of the race, an increase from 4,000 competitors in 2023.
While most of the course remains the same from last year, an earlier start time has been implemented to avoid significant traffic delays.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 Novant Health Wilmington NC Marathon race course, traffic delays, and more.
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2024 Wilmington NC Marathon Race Course
The point-to-point race features occasional turns and a mostly flat course that will see a few changes in 2024.
Starting at Johnnie Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach, runners in the marathon, half marathon and relay races will be on Eastwood Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Castle Hayne Road and McRae Street into downtown Wilmington. For marathon participants, a loop around Greenfield Lake returns them to Front Street.
New to this year's course, runners will exit Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway at Castle Hayne Road, cross over Smith Creek and head down McRae Street before entering the rail bed of Wilmington's Northside corridor, which used to house Wilmington's passenger rail service, for just over a third of a mile to get to 3rd Street.
"(We did it) to make the course better for the athletes, more scenic different and get them off MLK and give the runners the best experience that we can," race director Tom Clifford said.
Contestants in the 5K and 1 Mile run will start and finish downtown. All finishers cross the line at Live Oak Bank Pavilion.
Find a complete interactive race course map here.
Early start time
Race officials announced on Feb. 7 that this year's race will start 30 minutes earlier (6:30 a.m.) than initially planned to alleviate the traffic burden caused by the partial closure of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.
"We're starting at 6:30 a.m. to help mitigate any traffic issues caused by the Cape Fear Bridge," Clifford said. "We're getting runners on the course early, which means runners need to show up early."
The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, which carries U.S. 17 into Wilmington, closed to eastbound traffic on Jan. 29. The closure has come with increased traffic delays as alternative routes must be used.
Clifford says race organizers have worked extensively to mitigate issues due to the bridge closure.
"It's been a challenge," Clifford said of the bridge closure. "There were big concerns from all leadership and us. We looked at every single thing we could do to not change the course."
With the new start time, runners need to be at the beach by 6 a.m., with race officials strongly suggesting arriving around 5-5:30 a.m. to avoid hiccups.
Where will traffic be
Traffic detours will be in place throughout the morning and into the early afternoon, with downtown Wilmington featuring the most closures.
Here's a list of road and lane closures and stoppages expected between 6:30 a.m. and :
Southbound Front between 3rd & Red Cross streets
Red Cross St between Front & Water streets
Water between Red Cross & Walnut streets
Northbound lane of Water between Walnut & Chestnut streets
Water between Chestnut & Princess streets
Princess between Front & Water streets (access to the Water Street Center Parking lot is via Princess & Front streets (controlled)
Southbound Front between Princess & Dawson streets
Southbound Front between 3rd & Dawson streets (cross streets of Nun, Ann, Orange, Dock, Market, Princess Chestnut, Grace, Walnut, Hanover, Brunswick, Harnett & Cowan will open to vehicular traffic with controlled crossings by Wilmington Police Department and event volunteers)
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington NC Marathon: What to know about course, traffic and detours
