SEATTLE — Dozens of streets in Seattle become a race course on Sunday for the annual Seattle Marathon. Drivers, public transit riders and cyclists should be warned of several road closures.
The Seattle Marathon Association hosts a full marathon (7 a.m. start time) and a half marathon (7:30 a.m. start time) on Sunday, Dec. 1. Most road closures begin between 4 to 6:30 a.m. and all roads will reopen by 2:30 p.m.
Races start at 5th Avenue and Harrison Street in front of the Museum of Pop Culture at Seattle Center with runners crossing the finish line inside Memorial Stadium (401 Fifth Avenue North), just under the Space Needle.
Some main road closures on Sunday include:
- 5th Avenue between Mercer Street and Broad Street between 4 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- 5th Avenue between Denny Way and Cherry Street between 4 to 9:30 a.m.
- Express Lanes on Interstate 5 from 4 to 9:30 a.m.
- Aurora Avenue northbound lanes between Bridge Way North and West Green Lake Way from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- 5th Avenue North from Harrison Street to Republican Street between 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The courses take runners through downtown Seattle, over the Ship Canal Bridge, around the University of Washington campus, through Gasworks Park and returning over the Aurora Bridge to cross the finish line under the Space Needle.
The full marathon route adds mileage by leading runners around Washington Park Arboretum, Green Lake, up toward Woodland Park Zoo and winding through several neighborhoods.
See the full course map here and the half course map here.
The Seattle Marathon is the oldest marathon event in the Pacific Northwest starting in 1970, according to the organization.
Runners and spectators are in for a chilly, but overall dry day, according to the KING 5 Weather team. Morning temperatures will be approximately 37 degrees under mostly cloudy skies. By noon, the temperature will be around 44 degrees with a bit more sun visibility.
For more information about race day, visit seattlemarathon.org.
