Traffic alert: Seattle Marathon will close streets Sunday as city transforms into race route

Those planning to drive in Seattle on Sunday may want to wait until the afternoon.

The city will be transformed into a 26.2-mile race route for the Seattle Marathon.

Over 50 streets will be closed for Seattle Marathon

The races officially started Saturday with a kids’ marathon starting at 9 a.m., but officials have not stated any road closures.

The full and half marathons start at Fifth Avenue N. and Harrison Street and finish at Bell Harbor Pier 66 on Sunday. The half marathon begins at 7 a.m., while the full marathon starts at 7:30 a.m.

More than 50 streets will be closed from 7 a.m. to 9:40 a.m., reopening as early as 7:45 a.m. and as late as 2:30 p.m. For a full list of closures, go here.

A map of the new routes for Sunday’s marathons can be viewed below.

“The new courses touch several parks, waterways, and other viewpoints throughout the city, showcasing the beauty of all of Seattle,” the Seattle Marathon Association wrote on its website.

Next year will be even more scenic, according to officials, as the route will be switched from Elliott Avenue to a revamped Elliott Bay Trail along the waterfront.

Seattle Marathon started in 1970 by a group of friends

The Seattle Marathon started in 1970 when a group of friends from the University of Washington (UW) decided to hold their own event, the Seattle Marathon Association stated on its website.

“From these modest beginnings, the Seattle Marathon Family of Events has risen to become one of the largest and most influential mass-participation runs in the Pacific Northwest,” officials wrote.

The kids’ marathon was added in 1999, starting with 357 children and growing to as many as 1,200.

Many runners donate to the event’s charity partners, including Children’s Cancer Research Fund, Girls on the Run, and Jett Foundation.

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