Street and lane closures will occur throughout the center city and surrounding areas for the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon race events, which will be held April 1-2. All roads are expected to be open by 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 2.
The Clinch Avenue Viaduct serves as the start for all races and will be closed to traffic starting at 2 p.m. Saturday until about 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Parking will be prohibited on Clinch Avenue between 11th and 16th streets, and vehicles parked on the street will be towed Saturday evening.
On Saturday, the Covenant Kids Run starts at 5:30 p.m. and the 5K at 7 p.m., necessitating closures of 11th Street and World’s Fair Park Drive in front of the former Candy Factory building and Knoxville Museum of Art, and periodic closures of Cumberland Avenue at 11th Street and Estabrook Drive from 5:30 until about 8:30 p.m.
On Sunday morning, the marathon will require staggered road closures from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. throughout downtown Knoxville and the following neighborhoods: Fort Sanders, Sequoyah Hills, Fourth & Gill, Parkridge, Island Home and Old Sevier.
Motorists who need to reach Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital on Sunday morning should take Alcoa Highway to the Cumberland Avenue/Kingston Pike exit and enter the Fort Sanders area via 20th Street. Please look for directional signage along this route.
Maps of the courses are available at www.knoxvillemarathon.com.
The details for specific road closures are as follows:
• World’s Fair Park Drive: Closed from start of race until half-marathon passes from 11th Street, then closure is moved to south of parking lot beside the Knoxville Museum of Art; closed on north end by Fort Kid.
• Clinch Avenue Viaduct from Henley to 11th streets: Closed throughout marathon weekend events.
• Clinch Avenue: Closed at the start of marathon, 5K and Covenant Kids Run from 11th to 16th streets.
• 16th Street: Closed at start of marathon, 5K and Covenant Kids Run from Clinch to Cumberland avenues.
• Volunteer Boulevard: Eastbound lanes closed for marathon and 5K to UT Drive on west end.
• Lake Loudoun Boulevard: Southbound lanes from Volunteer Boulevard to Neyland Drive closed for marathon.
• Neyland Drive: Eastbound lanes closed for marathon from Lake Loudoun Boulevard to Kingston Pike.
• Kingston Pike: Eastbound lanes closed; traffic will be two-way in westbound lanes.
• Cherokee Boulevard: Southbound lanes closed.
• Blows Ferry Road: Westbound lanes closed.
• Alta Vista Way: Northbound lane closed.
• Noelton Drive: Right lane closed from Alta Vista Way to Kingston Pike.
• Kingston Pike: Right lane closed westbound from Noelton Drive to Forest Park Boulevard.
• Forest Park Boulevard: Northbound right lane closed from Kingston Pike to Newcom Avenue.
• Newcom Avenue: Closed both ends from Forest Park Boulevard to Lebanon Street.
• Lebanon Street: Closed from Sutherland to Newcom avenues.
• Tyson Park: Closed at Kingston Pike entrance and road closed sign inside Tyson Park at Highway 129 overpass.
• Cumberland Avenue: Right westbound curb lane from 22nd Street to Tyson Park; south curb eastbound from Phillip Fulmer Way to Estabrook Drive.
• 22nd Street: Full closure from Forest to Cumberland avenues.
• Forest Avenue: Full closure from 17th to 22nd streets; continued closure from 17th Street east to 13th Street.
• Highland Avenue: Eastbound lanes closed from 11th to 13th streets.
• Broadway: Right lane closed from World’s Fair Park Drive to Central Street.
• Central Street: Southbound right lane closed from Broadway to 3rd Avenue; northbound right lane closed from Magnolia to 4th avenues; southbound lane closed from Jackson to Cumberland avenues at South Central Street.
• Winona Street: Northbound lanes closed from Magnolia to Woodbine avenues.
• Woodbine Avenue: Closed both ends from Winona Avenue to Bertrand Street; local traffic only.
• Patton Street: Road closed signs on both ends between Jackson Avenue and Willow Street.
• Jackson Avenue: Eastbound lane closed from Patton to Central streets.
• State Street: East curb closed in right northbound lane to allow runners a lane behind cones.
• Hill Avenue: Closed eastbound to James White Parkway southbound entrance ramp, starting at Gay Street.
• Sevier Avenue: Right lane closed from James White Parkway to Island Home Avenue; cones 6-8 feet from westbound curb for runner lane from Island Home Avenue to Gay Street.
• Island Home Avenue: Closed from Sevier Avenue to Maplewood Drive; westbound traffic to use Hillwood Drive.
• Gay Street: Northbound right lane closed from Hill to Wall avenues.
• Market Street: Closed from Union to Church avenues.
• Church Avenue: Westbound right lane closed from Market to Locust streets.
• Estabrook Drive: Closed from Cumberland Avenue to Gate 25 at Neyland Stadium.
For more information, visit www.knoxvillemarathon.com or call 865-684-4294.
The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon is a premier event organized by the Knoxville Track Club, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the encouragement of physical well being through running, jogging, competitive road racing, race-walking, fun runs, cross-country and track and field.
The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon needs volunteers for the April 1-2 race weekend to help participants hit the ground running for the event.
“It takes 1,200 people to make the marathon weekend happen,” said Jason Altman, executive director for Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon. “There are plenty of ways to help from packet pickup to water distribution. Volunteers have the opportunity to show the true spirit of Southern hospitality to the participants of whom one-third come from outside Knoxville and beyond East Tennessee.”
The variety of duties for volunteers range from distributing race packets, passing out water to runners, giving directions along the route, serving as course marshals, providing support at the post-race party, working at the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon Health and Fitness Expo and cheering on runners at the start and finish lines.
Volunteers can register as individuals or recruit others to sign up as support groups of friends, family, coworkers, schools, churches, nonprofits and other organizations.
There are plenty of volunteer activities both Saturday and Sunday. The Health and Fitness Expo, Covenant Kids Run and 5K take place Saturday, and the marathon, half-marathon, marathon relays and handcyclist races are scheduled for Sunday.
“Hosting an event of this size in our city really is an all hands on deck – or in our case, all shoes on the pavement — situation,” Altman said. “Because so many East Tennesseans support this event on a recurring basis, Knoxville has a reputation of being a great race experience.”
Volunteers can complete online registration at www.knoxvillemarathon.com/volunteer. When registering, the option is given to choose day, time and task that best suits a volunteer’s capabilities.
For more information, visit www.knoxvillemarathon.com or call 865-684-4294.
