November 14, 2023
M. EDLOW/VISIT PHILADELPHIA
The Philadelphia Marathon takes places Sunday. There are also several races, including a half marathon, on Saturday. Road closures, parking restrictions and SEPTA detours will be in effect throughout the weekend.
The Philadelphia Marathon was first held in 1994, attracting 1,500 runners. Over the last three decades, it has grown into one of the nation's largest marathons, capping a weekend that also includes an 8K, children's run and half marathon. Last year, nearly 30,000 people ran in those races.
The races begin Saturday. The Dietz & Watson Half Marathon starts at 6:55 a.m., followed by the Rothman Orthopaedics 8K at 10:55 and the Nemours Children's Run at noon. The AACR Philadelphia Marathon begins at 6:55 a.m. Sunday.
The start and finish lines are located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There are plenty of places along the parkway for spectators to watch the races, but they cannot enter the secured area where runners start and finish until 8 a.m. on both days.
A Health & Fitness Expo is being held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday from noon to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The races will cause road closures throughout the city from Friday through Sunday. The Parkway will be heavily impacted all weekend, and at least two I-676 and I-76 off-ramps will be closed down for long stretches on Saturday and Sunday.
Several SEPTA buses will be detoured.
Road closures along most of the race courses will be executed on a rolling basis and lifted as the races conclude. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes, anticipate traffic delays and exercise caution.
Here is the full list of road closures and SEPTA detours:
The inside lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be shut down in both directions from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Friday. The outbound lanes will reopen to accommodate the afternoon rush, but will close afterward. From that point, all inside lanes from Binswanger Triangle to 20th Street will be inaccessible until Sunday evening. Traffic may cross the Parkway on 22nd and 21st streets when the races are not occurring.
During the half marathon, "No Parking" regulations will be enforced along the course. Starting at 2 a.m. Saturday, all vehicles parked on the course will be relocated. Parking on roads near the start and finish lines will be restricted until about 11:30 a.m.
Street closures will be in effect from 2 a.m. to 3 p.m. along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 20th and 25th Streets, Kelly Drive and various other roads in Center City.
At 2 a.m., the following road closures take effect:
• 2000-2400 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Spring Garden Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 23rd Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 22nd Street, from Winter Street to Park Towne Place
• 21st Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Winter Street
At 4 a.m., these road closures take effect:
• I-676 off-ramp at 22nd Street (westbound)
• I-76 off-ramp at Spring Garden Street (eastbound)
At 6 a.m., these road closures take effect:
• 17th Street, from Arch to Vine streets
• 18th Street, from Arch to Callowhill streets
• 19th Street, from Arch to Callowhill streets
• 20th Street, from Arch to Callowhill streets
• 21st Street, from Arch to Spring Garden streets
• 22nd Street, from Arch to Spring Garden streets
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 16th to 20th streets
• Market Street, from Sixth to 16th streets
• Chestnut Street, from Fifth to Eighth streets
• Sixth Street, from Market to Chestnut streets
• Fifth Street, from Chestnut to Race streets
• South Penn Square
• Juniper Street, from Chestnut to Market streets
• John F. Kennedy Boulevard, from Juniper to 17th streets
• 15th Street, from Race to Chestnut streets
• 16th Street, from Chestnut to Race streets
• Race Street, from Sixth Street to Columbus Boulevard
• Columbus Boulevard (southbound lanes), from Vine Street to Washington Avenue
• Southbound I-95 off-ramp at Washington Avenue
• Washington Avenue, from Columbus Boulevard to Front Street
• Front Street, from Washington Avenue to South Street
• South Street, from Front to Seventh streets
• Sixth Street, from Bainbridge to Locust streets
• Lombard Street, from Fifth to Broad streets
• 13th Street, from Bainbridge to Chestnut streets
• Walnut Street, from 12th to 34th streets
• 33rd Street, from Walnut to Spring Garden streets
• 34th Street, from Spring Garden Street to Girard Avenue
• Spring Garden Street, from 32nd to 34th streets
• Girard Avenue, 33rd to 38th streets
• 33rd Street, from Girard to Cecil B. Moore avenues
• Reservoir Drive, from 33rd Street to Diamond Drive
• Mt. Pleasant Drive
• Fountain Green Drive
• Kelly Drive
"No Parking" regulations will be enforced again during the marathon. Starting at 2 a.m., all vehicles parked on the race course will be relocated.
All streets, excluding Eakins Oval, will reopen by 2 p.m., though many Center City roads will be cleared earlier as they get serviced. Eakins Oval and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway are expected to be fully open to traffic by 5 p.m.
At 2 a.m., the following road closures will take effect:
• 2000-2400 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Spring Garden Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 23rd Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• 22nd Street, from Winter Street to Park Towne Place
• 21st Street, from Pennsylvania Avenue to Winter Street
At 4 a.m., these road closures will take effect:
• I-676 off-ramp at 22nd Street (westbound)
• I-76 off-ramp at Spring Garden Street (eastbound)
At 6 a.m., these road closures will take effect
• 17th Street, from Arch to Vine streets
• 18th Street, from Arch to Callowhill streets
• 19th Street, from Arch to Callowhill streets
• 20th Street, from Arch to Callowhill streets
• 21st Street, from Arch to Spring Garden streets
• 22nd Street, from Arch to Spring Garden streets
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 16th to 20th streets
• Arch Street, between Third and 16th streets
• Fourth Street, between Arch and Vine streets
• Race Street, from Sixth Street to Columbus Boulevard
• Columbus Boulevard (southbound lanes), from Vine Street to Washington Avenue
• Southbound I-95 off-ramp at Washington Avenue
• Washington Avenue, from Columbus Boulevard to Front Street
• Front Street, from Washington Avenue to South Street
• South Street, from Front to Seventh streets
• Sixth Street, from Bainbridge to Market streets
• Chestnut Street, from Sixth to 10th streets
• Walnut Street, from Sixth to 34th streets
• 33rd Street, from Walnut to Chestnut streets
• Chestnut Street, from 33rd to 34th streets
• 34th Street, from Chestnut Street to Girard Avenue
• Lansdowne Drive, from Girard Avenue to South Concourse Drive
• South Concourse Drive, from Lansdowne to West Memorial Hall Drive
• East Memorial Hall Drive, from South Concourse to Avenue of the Republic
• Avenue of the Republic, from East Memorial Hall Drive to Catholic Fountain
• Belmont Avenue, Montgomery to Parkside avenues
• States Drive to Lansdowne Drive
• Lansdowne Drive to Girard Avenue
• Girard Avenue Bridge, from Lansdowne Drive to 33rd Street
• 33rd Street, from Girard Avenue to Reservoir Drive
• Reservoir Drive, from 33rd Street to Edgley Drive
• Edgley Drive, from Reservoir to Fountain Green drives
• Fountain Green Drive, from Edgley to Kelly drives
• Kelly Drive
• The Falls Bridge
• Ridge Avenue, from Schoolhouse Lane to Manayunk Avenue
• Main Street, from Ridge Avenue to Conarroe Street
The following SEPTA bus routes will have detours beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday and Sunday: R, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 17, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 38, 40, 42, 43, 47, 47M, 48, 57, 61, 64 and 65. Trolley Route 15 also will be detoured.
Regional Rail riders can access Suburban or 30th Street station for connections to the race events.
Public transit riders are advised to plan ahead and stay informed through updates on SEPTA's System Status page.
