Sarasota Music Half Marathon 2017: Road Closures

SARASOTA, FL — As the date for the Sarasota Music Half Marathon fast approaches, local police want to make sure motorists have a heads up on the roads that will close to make way for runners and spectators at the 13.1-mile race.

The Sarasota Police Department says motorists can expect several roads to be off limits during the Sunday, Feb. 5 event that is scheduled to run from 7 to 11 a.m.

The race, which features bands, cheerleaders and lawn gatherings along its course, begins at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. It then travels over the Ringling Bridge and back, passing Selby Gardens along the way. Runners will also travel onto Orange Avenue in the Cherokee Park neighborhood before heading back through Selby Gardens on the way to a finish at Van Wezel.

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To make way for the festivities, the following roads will be closed from 6:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday:

Tamiami Trail

• Southbound traffic will be merged into one lane from 10th Street to South Orange Avenue
• Northbound traffic will be merged into one lane from Hudson Avenue to Gulfstream Avenue

John Ringling Causeway and the Ringling Bridge

• Westbound traffic will merge into one lane from Tamiami Trail to Bird Key Drive
• Eastbound traffic will merge into one lane from Adam’s Drive to Bird Key Drive
• Eastbound traffic will again be merged into one lane from Hart’s Landing to Tamiami Trail
• East and west traffic will be redirected as two-way traffic in the south side lanes from Adam’s Drive to Bird Key Drive

St. Armand’s Circle

This closing is estimated to last from 6:30 to 9 a.m.

All lanes of St. Armand’s Circle will be completely closed, the police department said.

• Southbound lanes of North Boulevard of the Presidents will be closed from Madison Drive to St. Armand’s Circle
• Northbound lanes of South Boulevard of the Presidents will be closed from Monroe Drive to St. Armand’s Circle
• All traffic will be rerouted via Washington Drive to Monroe Drive to South Adam’s Drive for access to the John Ringling Causeway and Ringling Bridge

South Orange Avenue

This closing is expected to last from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.

All of South Orange Avenue will be completely closed from Mound Street until it becomes McClellan Drive and will continue to be closed to the intersection of South Osprey Avenue

South Osprey Avenue

This closing is estimated to last from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• All of South Osprey will be closed from McClellan Drive to Webber Street
• The southbound lane of South Osprey will be closed from McClellan Drive to South Drive

Cherokee Park

This closing is expected to last from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• Westbound South Drive will close from South Osprey to Cherokee Terrace
• All of Cherokee Terrace will be closed from South Drive to North Drive
• The westbound lane of North Drive will close from Cherokee Terrace to South Osprey Avenue

The Sarasota Music Half Marathon features more than 20 bands along its course. The event is described as a “moving party” that tends to draw thousands of runners and spectators alike. Registration for the race is still open. To find out more about the Sarasota Music Half Marathon, visit the event’s website.

Image via Shutterstock