Photo courtesy Frédéric de Villamil http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdevillamil/2305162176/This Sunday the city is hosting the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon & ½ Marathon. Officials are expecting over 20,000 runners and walkers, in addition to tens of thousands of spectators, family and friends. Residents are encouraged to visit the free Health & Fitness Expo, volunteer during race weekend, and line the course to cheer runners. Both race’s routes will cut across the neighborhood in the morning and then up Esplanade Avenue on their way to City Park. The full 26.2 mile Marathon will use Decatur Street, while the 13.1 mile ½ Marathon will be on North Peters. Traffic on both Decatur and North Peters streets from downtown to Esplanade Avenue will be closed Sunday February 28th from 6:30am to approximately 11:45am. Esplanade Avenue from the river toward City Park will be closed 6:45am to sometime around 12:30pm. To get the most out of your weekend and minimize stress, be aware of the road closures and plan ahead for an alternate route or added travel time. See the event website for detailed maps and timetables.
