Marathon, other races to close roads, not museums

A slew of city streets will be closed this weekend, and many SEPTA routes will be detoured, because of Sunday's Philadelphia Marathon and Half Marathon, and two related Saturday races.

But no cultural attractions will close their doors.

The Art Museum, where the marathon begins and ends, will be open Saturday and Sunday, as will the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Barnes Foundation, the Cathedral Basilica of SS Peter & Paul, Eastern State Penitentiary, the Franklin Institute, the Free Library's Logan Square branch, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Rodin Museum.

The annual marathon, which normally draws 30,000 runners, is even bigger this year, its ranks expanded to welcome 3,000 who registered for the New York City Marathon, cancelled in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy. All the marathon spots are sold-out, even ones representing various charities.

Another 60,000 people are expected to watch along the 26.2-mile route, which starts with a Center City-South Street-Center City loop that extends to Columbus Boulevard along the Delaware River. Runners next head west on Chestnut Street into West Philadelphia, then loop through parts of Fairmount Park southwest of the Schuylkill. After heading back around the Art Museum - the halfway point, where the half marathoners finish - the course heads out Kelly Drive to Manayunk before returning to the Parkway.

"Motorists and pedestrians can expect significant delays when trying to cross roads on or adjacent to the course," a city news release warns.

"Motorists are advised to avoid these areas, or proceed with extreme caution," it also says.

Even the exit ramp off I-95 South at Washington Avenue will be closed.

SEPTA will detour seven bus routes on Saturday, 20 or so on Sunday. To check a route, go to www.septa.or.

Friday: The Ben Franklin Parkway's inner lanes will be closed from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., when two westbound lanes will reopen. At 6:30 p.m., though, all the inner lanes will closed and stay closed through 4 p.m. Sunday.

Saturday: More streets will close because of the Rothman Institute 8K (7:30 a.m.) and a Kids Fun Run (10:30 a.m.) Besides the continued shutdown of the Parkway's inner lanes, streets will be closed near Eakins Oval, Logan Circle and Martin Luther King Drive.

Sunday: Expect roads along the entire race route to be closed from early morning until 4 p.m. The Eakins Oval area and the entire Parkway will close at 4 a.m., the rest of the route starting about 6:30 a.m. The marathon officially begins at 7 a.m.

Streets will stay closed until all runners pass through. Streets not part of the official route will reopen no later than 6 p.m., the city says.

For course map, go to http://ph.ly/mcourse. For more on the marathon, go to www.philadelphiamarathon.com.

Read all of our coverage of this year's Philadelphia Marathon at www.philly.com/marathon2012. And don't forget to join us there on race day to follow the action. 

List of streets that will be closed from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

-- 21st Street, from Spring Garden to Arch.

-- 22d Street, from Spring Garden to Arch.

-- Parkway, from 22d to 16th.

-- Arch, from 16th to Fourth.

-- Fourth, from Arch to Vine.

-- Race, from Fourth to Columbus Boulevard.

-- Columbus (southbound), from Vine to Washington.

-- Exit ramp from I-95 Southbound at Washington Avenue.

-- Washington, from Columbus to Front.

-- Front, from Washington to South.

-- South, from Front to Sixth.

-- Sixth, from Bainbridge to Market.

-- Chestnut, from Sixth to 34th.

-- 34th, from Chestnut to Girard.

-- Lansdowne Drive, from Girard to South Concourse Drive.

-- South Concourse Drive, from Lansdowne to West Memorial Hall Drive.

-- West Memorial Hall Drive, from South Concourse to Avenue of the Republic.

-- Avenue of the Republic, from West Memorial Hall Drive to Centennial Circle.

-- Old Lansdowne Drive to the Sweetbriar Loop.

-- Black Road.

-- Martin Luther King Drive.

-- Kelly Drive.

-- Falls Bridge.

-- Ridge Avenue, from Schoolhouse Lane to Manayunk Avenue.

-- Main Street, from Ridge to Green Lane.