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SALT LAKE CITY -- Runners have trained months for the Salt Lake City Marathon, which is scheduled for this Saturday. There's also a half marathon, 5K and bike tour, and race organizers are already starting preparations.
Tents are going up at the Gateway Mall, followed soon by scaffolding and the start and finish lines. Come Saturday, thousands of runners will be there as well.
"We'll have nearly 12,000 participants coming down the Gateway on Saturday," says Scott Kerr, race director for the Salt Lake City Marathon.
Kerr says the marathon has grown just about every year since it began seven years ago.
"We're going to probably end up being over 25 percent up from last year," he says.
About 4,000 of those runners will be participating in the 5K, but there will be no need for a shuttle to get you to the start line this year.
"The 5K starts and finishes at the Gateway," Kerr says.
As for Marathon runners and bikers, race officials encourage them to take TRAX or the bus to get to the start line at the Olympic Legacy Bridge.
TRAX in Murray will begin service at 3:45 a.m. Saturday; in Salt Lake, at 4:24 a.m. The trains will be running every 10 minutes.
The other big change this year: Kerr says they've already paid South Salt Lake police for its help directing traffic in its jurisdiction.
"[That's] all taken care of. We've made sure of that," Kerr says.
Intersection closures
Intersection | Community | Approximate Closure Time |
---|---|---|
Foothill Drive and Wasatch Drive | Salt Lake City | 5 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. |
Foothill Drive and 2300 East | Salt Lake City | 5 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. |
2000 East and 3300 South | Millcreek | 5:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. |
Highland Drive and 2700 South | Sugar House | 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. |
Highland Drive and 1700 South | Sugar House | 5:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. |
4500 South to 2300 East | Holladay | 6 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. |
Highland Drive and 6200 South | Holladay | 6:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. |
4500 South and 500 East | Murray | 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. |
2100 South and 500 East | Sugar House | 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. |
State Street from 900 South to S. Temple | Salt Lake City | 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
In 2009, Devine Racing, the company that owns the race, had not paid South Salt Lake by its contracted due date.
"I can't comment on what happened last year, but there was some issue," says Officer Gary Keller, spokesman for the South Salt Lake Police Department. "Everything has been paid and planned for Saturday."
As for road closures, they'll start at 5 a.m. Saturday along the course.
"Stay on the interstate if you can. They will all be open," Kerr says.
Expect roads to start reopening after the last racers have passed by, or by 1 p.m. at the latest.