- Several Salt Lake roads will close for Pioneer Day events.
- The Deseret News Marathon starts at 5:30 a.m., affecting a few major city roads.
- Police advise caution due to increased traffic, especially in the morning.
SALT LAKE CITY — Police are warning Salt Lake residents, workers and visitors to be prepared for "significant and potentially lengthy" road closures this Pioneer Day because of the Days of '47 Parade and Deseret News Marathon.
Salt Lake police say they will have officers stationed along both the marathon and parade routes, helping close roads for the safety of participants and spectators.
Road closures will begin early Thursday because the marathon is scheduled to start at 5:30 a.m. near Big Mountain Pass northeast of Emigration Canyon. Participants will then run down state Route 65 and through the canyon — a path pioneers took leading into the Salt Lake Valley 178 years ago — before turning south onto Crestview Drive near the mouth of the canyon in Salt Lake City.
The race course winds through parts of the East Bench, University of Utah campus and Central City areas before ending at Liberty Park, impacting key roads like Sunnyside Avenue, Foothill Drive and South Temple. An interactive map of the route can be found on the event's website.
Relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K and 1K races will also be held along all or portions of the race course on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, the Days of '47 Parade will once again begin at the corner of South Temple and State Street, starting at 9 a.m. The route will continue to 200 East before turning south along 200 East to 900 South. It will then move east toward Liberty Park, ending at 600 East by the park's northern entrance.
"To help ensure the safety of everyone, some segments of the race course and parade route require 100% closure," Salt Lake police wrote in a statement. "Some of these select street closures could be in place for several hours."
Drivers are urged to follow all posted closure signage along the routes and directions from officers stationed in the area. People should use "extreme caution" near the routes because of an increase in vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic, police add.
Although both events will conclude by the afternoon, Liberty Park will continue to be busy on Thursday. Salt Lake City will hold its Pioneer Day drone show at the park beginning at 10 p.m.
