Pittsburgh road closures: Downtown and North Shore shut down for 10 Miler race
More than 6,500 participants will run through the streets Sunday as P3R hosts its first sold-out event since 2013.
By Dominic Foster ·
Pittsburgh Marathon organizer P3R will close major roads across Downtown and the North Shore on Sunday to host its 10 Miler and 10K. The event has officially sold out, drawing a field of over 6,500 runners and walkers who will compete for a share of an $11,000 prize purse. This marks the first time the race has reached capacity since it began in 2013.
The road closures will follow a strict timeline on Sunday morning. Liberty Avenue in Downtown will close to traffic at 6 a.m. The rest of the course routes will shut down in two waves, first at 6:30 a.m. and then at 7:30 a.m. Drivers must clear parking spaces along these routes by 4 a.m. or face having their vehicles towed.
The 10K race will start at 7:30 a.m. on West General Robinson Street near PNC Park. An hour later, at 8:30 a.m., the 10 Miler will begin on West Carson Street near F.N.B. Stadium in Station Square. Both events will conclude at the intersection of Seventh Street and Liberty Avenue in Downtown. P3R expects to reopen all closed roads by 12:45 p.m.
P3R CEO Jim Popovich noted that attendance for the race had plateaued around 5,300 in recent years. He attributes the recent surge in participation to a new theme called "Bring the Energy," which draws inspiration from 1990s rock band nostalgia. The event features more than 20 musical acts performing along the courses. The race shirts for this year list miles and locations on the back, similar to a band's tour dates.
Popovich described the city's running culture in a statement to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Pittsburgh’s kind of a sneaky running town, and 10 miles is a great distance for people," he said. The organization has published a full map of the closures online for residents and visitors to plan their routes.
