Ironman 70.3 Race Impacts Traffic on Saturday, Nov. 8
Residents Should Plan for Ironman 70.3 Traffic Impacts Saturday, Nov. 8
CLEARWATER. - The 3rd Annual Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 will impact Pinellas County traffic on race day, Saturday, Nov. 8. Lane and road closures will start at 5 a.m. throughout the county. Clearwater Beach road closures will begin at 3 a.m., and drivers will not be permitted to travel south of the roundabout due to closures on Coronado Drive and South Gulfview Boulevard.
Run Route
The run route will go from Pier 60 through downtown and into Harbor Oaks and back to Pier 60. Runners will do two loops and will affect traffic on the Memorial Causeway, in downtown Clearwater, and in the Harbor Oaks neighborhood between approximately 9:10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. To access Morton Plant Hospital, drivers will have to use Pinellas Street.
Clearwater Beach Traffic Impact
Because the majority of the event takes place at Pier 60, the entire South Gulfview Boulevard will be closed from 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4 to 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10 and Coronado will be closed from the Clearwater Beach roundabout to Devon Drive starting at 3 a.m. on race day. Residents should plan to leave the beach before 7 a.m. to avoid the traffic impacts. Between 7 and 9 a.m. North Beach residents will have limited access to the roundabout. South Beach residents and those needing access to and from south beach after 3 a.m. will need to use the Belleair Causeway.
Helpful Driving Hints for Race Day
To ease congestion on race day, drivers should leave early to allow for extra traffic and lane closures. The bike course will re-open at 12:30 p.m. and the run course will re-open at 3:30 p.m. Since the race route does not affect U.S. 19, it should be used as the main north-south route. Signalized intersections along the route will have police officers assisting motorists and will let vehicles through when and if it is safe to do so. Motorists who come upon a non-signalized intersection should yield to bicyclists. The rules of the road apply as bikes have right-of-way on the course.
Drivers will have to share multi-lane roads with bicyclists. Throughout most of the route, cyclists will be in the outside curb lane and vehicles will travel in the remaining lanes. On McMullen Booth Road, cyclists will be traveling on the inside median lane, and vehicles will be traveling in the outside lanes.
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