Road closures set for Berkeley Half Marathon Sunday

by Alex N. Gecan

Nov. 15, 2024, 10:50 a.m.Nov. 15, 2024, 10:51 a.m.

This map shows race routes and detours for the Berkeley Half Marathon and two shorter races scheduled for Nov. 17, 2024. Credit: City of Berkeley

Motorists, cyclists and bus riders should prepare for delays and detours Sunday morning during the Berkeley Half Marathon, 10k and 5k road races.

Most of the major closures will affect roads from 6 a.m. to noon although a few will begin earlier and and later, according to an announcement on the city’s website.

Roughly 6,000 runners ran the 13.1-mile headline race last year, according to the race website.

“If you’ve parked your car on an affected street, move it well before the closure time, and take note of parking restrictions,” the announcement read. “A few streets around Civic Center Park will close starting Saturday.”

A complete list of the closures is available on the city’s website, and a PDF map (above) shows details of detours around the race courses. Riders can monitor changes to bus routes using AC Transit’s ACT RealTime system and service notices.

The city listed several “significant” closures lasting large portions of Sunday morning:

Interstate 80’s eastbound off-ramp to eastbound University Avenue, 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Interstate 80’s westbound off-ramp to University Avenue, 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.; the city advises using the Gilman Street or Ashby Avenue exits Off-ramps from Interstate 80 and Ashby Avenue to Frontage Road, 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Frontage Road from University Avenue to Ashby Avenue exit, 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Way northbound will be closed at Dwight Way to Addison Street, 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Way southbound will be diverted at Addison Street, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local access to southbound Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Allston Way and Dwight Way, 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The announcement read there would be “intermittent access points” on some major roads but that anyone planning to use them should “allow extra travel time:”

Shattuck Avenue in both directions at Channing Way, 8 to 9:30 a.m. University Avenue in both directions at Shattuck Avenue, 7 to 8:30 a.m.; University Avenue eastbound will be closed at Martin Luther King Jr. Way 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. San Pablo Avenue in both directions at Page Street, Jones Street Bancroft Way and Channing Way, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sacramento Avenue at Bancroft Way and Channing Way, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.