Brooklyn braces for road closures as NYC Half Marathon takes the streets this Sunday
For drivers, that means road closures as early as midnight in some areas, with major streets remaining closed into the afternoon.
More Stories
The United Airlines NYC Half Marathon is back this Sunday, March 16, and with it comes significant road closures throughout Brooklyn and into Manhattan.
More than 27,000 runners will hit the pavement for the world’s premier half marathon, covering 13.1 miles from the Brooklyn Museum, over the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time in the race’s history, and into Manhattan before finishing in Central Park.
For drivers, that means road closures as early as midnight in some areas, with major streets remaining closed into the afternoon. Key routes impacted in Brooklyn include:
Eastern Parkway (Grand Army Plaza to Bedford Avenue) – Midnight to 10:30 a.m.
Washington Avenue (Eastern Parkway to Empire Boulevard) – Midnight to 4 p.m.
Flatbush Avenue (Grand Army Plaza to Atlantic Avenue) – 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Brooklyn Bridge ramps & parts of FDR Drive – Closing at 6 a.m. with reopening times TBD
Local businesses, however, are welcoming the crowds. Leonardo Ocampo, who works at Bergen Bagels, says the event is one of the busiest days of the year.
"We’re excited and ready because it’s going to be crazy. Sometimes people have to line up all the way around the corner—everything goes crazy over here!" Ocampo said.
If you're heading out Sunday, plan for extra travel time and consider using public transportation. The race starts at 7 a.m., with closures expected to last into the afternoon. View full list of road closures here
