Tuesday, May 12, 2015 (Halifax, NS) – Whether you’re running, cheering or simply travelling through the downtown area this weekend, residents and visitors should plan ahead to avoid long waits and traffic tie-ups related to the 2015 Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon.

A number of streets on both sides of the harbour will be closed to vehicle traffic and parking during the races on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, including:

• Brunswick Street between Duke Street and Sackville Street, as well as all side streets feeding into the closed section, closed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday;
• Sackville Street between Brunswick Street and South Park Street, closed 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday;
• Cogswell Street between Gottingen Street and Brunswick Street, closed 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday;
• Nantucket Avenue between Wyse Road and Victoria Road, closed 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday;
• Southbound curb lane on Barrington Street between Devonshire Avenue and North Street, closed 8:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

The Macdonald Bridge will be closed to vehicles from 6:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Sunday for the longer distance events.

To help reduce traffic and support marathon participants, Halifax Transit is pleased to offer free conventional bus and ferry service for those involved. Volunteers with credentials ride free Friday through Sunday, and participants with their run bib get a free ride on race days (Saturday and Sunday). This offer does not include Metro X or MetroLink bus service.

A number of bus routes will be detoured during the races. For complete details, please visit Halifax Transit’s Service Disruptions page or contact 3-1-1.

To encourage carpooling, Impark is offering parking for $2 a day at a number of its Halifax and Dartmouth lots for all Blue Nose participants and volunteers. For more details, please visit the Impark website.

For those hitting the streets on two wheels, the bike valet operated by Clean Foundation and located in Grand Parade is offering free, secure storage for bicycles on the following dates:

• Friday, May 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, May 17, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

When planning your travel, motorists are reminded of the ongoing street closures near the Halifax North Common, associated with the North Park Intersection Redesign project and construction of a new roundabout. Municipal staff and the contractor have been working with event organizers to ensure run participants can safely travel near the construction zone.

Every year the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon brings out thousands of participants and spectators. Motorists are advised to drive carefully this weekend, keep an eye out for people on the streets and leave lots of extra travel time. The municipality and organizers regret any inconvenience these street closures and parking restrictions may cause.

For more information on the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, including the full schedule of events and run maps, please visit www.bluenosemarathon.com.

Source: Release