Streets to close for race

It's not all that uncommon to find several thousand visitors walking along the Strip on any given weekend. But running? Beginning at 6 a.m.?

It must be time for the annual marathon, this year called the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon.

Runners will be rockin' and rollin' along the Strip, downtown and streets surrounding famous Las Vegas attractions on Sunday.

Vehicles will not.

The marathon and half-marathon will kick off at 6 a.m., but organizers will begin shutting down about 20 side streets and thoroughfares in the wee hours of the morning. This includes Citizens Area Transit bus routes in the area.

The bad news is this might cause headaches for employees in these areas.

The good news is it will be all over by about 2:15 p.m., and pedestrians will be allowed to cross the course while the race is under way, if they're careful.

Segments of Las Vegas Boulevard from Russell Road, near where the race will start, to downtown will be closed as the anticipated 28,000 racers run by.

The race will move south on Las Vegas Boulevard to Sunset Road; southbound lanes of the Strip will be closed from 3 a.m. to about 7:30 a.m.

Las Vegas Boulevard's northbound lanes will be most affected. Traffic will be prohibited in those lanes between Sunset and Reno Avenue from 4 a.m. until about 11 a.m.. The lanes will reopen when the final racer passes through.

Downtown, Garces Avenue, Third Street, Gass Avenue, Fourth, Colorado and Main streets will be closed for about six hours starting at 4 a.m. Runners will scurry over Interstate 15 using Spring Mountain Road to Mel Torme Way and Industrial Road. Traffic will not be allowed between 4 a.m. and about 10:30 a.m.

For the first time since the inaugural marathon, the race route will reach west into dense commercial areas and residential communities.

On the west side of I-15, the marathon will carry on to Twain Avenue, which will be closed from Industrial Road to Decatur Boulevard; Decatur from Hacienda Avenue to Twain; Hacienda from Durango Drive to Las Vegas Boulevard, and Rainbow Boulevard between Hacienda and Tropicana.

Decatur and Twain should reopen by about 11 a.m. and the other arterials are scheduled to reopen at 1:30 p.m.

The race will head back to the east on Luxor and Frank Sinatra drives. Portions of those roads are expected to be closed from about 5:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Major thoroughfares across Las Vegas Boulevard will also be closed. Russell is expected to reopen at 8 a.m.; Sahara Avenue and Charleston Boulevard will reopen at about 10 a.m.; Spring Mountain is expected to open at 10:30 a.m., and Tropicana Avenue and Flamingo Road should be accessible to traffic by 11 a.m.

Buses will not operate or will be detoured between 2:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Route 101 will not operate on Rainbow between Russell and Tropicana; Route 102 on Jones will not be in service south of Reno Avenue; Route 103 along Decatur will not be in service between Spring Mountain and Russell.

Riders should also expect major detours and delays on Route 104 (Valley View and Torrey Pines), Route 108 along Paradise, and Route 116, which serves Koval Lane and Industrial Road.

Contact reporter Adrienne Packer at apacker@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904.