The Wisconsin Marathon takes place in Downtown Kenosha and along the Lake Michigan shore on May 4. There are three distances: Marathon (26.2 miles), Half Marathon (13.1 miles), and 5k (3.1 miles). All races start at 7 a.m. outside of the Civil War Museum; 1,300 runners are expected. The marathon is two loops of the half marathon course.
Organizers of the Wisconsin Marathon want residents who live in the area, as well as business owners and customers, to be aware that street access will be impacted along the route. They ask everyone to please be patient.
Streets on the route will be closed starting at 6:30 a.m. The last runner is expected to finish at 1:30 p.m. Roads will re-open after the final runner crosses and the police deem it safe to open.
Cars are allowed to cross intersections with course marshal or police direction, when no runners are in the area and it is safe to do so. Any cars on the course will be directed off the course as quickly as possible to use an alternate route. The second loop of the marathon course will be less dense as far as the number of runners. Please note, runners have the right of way at all times on the course.
Here is more specific access information:
Downtown area: Access west out of the downtown area will be a little slow for residents between 54th and 61st Streets during the start of the race. Runners will run on 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue after the start of the race, which is at 7 a.m. Please note that the marathon course is a double loop, so runners will be on parts of 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue, south of 56th Street, from roughly 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with varying numbers of runners as the morning goes. Traffic delays should be much shorter during that second loop. 54th Street and 56th Street, east of 6th Avenue, will be closed for the duration of the event. Please note that runners run around Library Park as well.
6th/7th Avenue north of 54th Street will be closed for the entirety of the morning up to 50th Street. The last runner should be off these streets by 1:30 p.m.
South of 65th Street, North of 78th Street: 7th Avenue, south of 65th Street, will be closed off for the race (starting at 7 a.m.) but traffic will be able to cross 7th Avenue in an east or west direction when it is safe to do so. Traffic attempting to cross 7th Avenue will be directed to 59th Street or 75th Street to cross. Runners will occupy 7th Avenue until roughly 8 a.m. for the first wave and until 12:30 p.m. during the second wave. Please note that 65th Street is being used for the 5k turn off and traffic may be delayed at 65th Street and 5th Avenue from about 7:05 to 7:30 a.m.
Museum Access: If you are headed to the Kenosha Public Museum or the Civil War Museum, you may access those parking lots via 56th Street. Course marshals and police will wave you across 3rd Avenue and 2nd Avenue when it is clear of runners. Please expect delays until 12:45 p.m.
Exiting Carol Beach in Pleasant Prairie:
90th Street and 85th Street will be in use until approximately 12:30 p.m., as will 7th Avenue between 90th Street and 79th Street.
If you are between 85th Street and 96th Street, the safest option is to use 1st Avenue / Lakeshore Drive and exit west at 116th Street. If you must use 90th Street, you will be allowed to cross the course when it is clear of runners and can exit onto 7th Avenue heading south. You will not be able to go north on 7th Avenue.
If you are south of 96th Street, the safest and quickest option is to use 1st Avenue / Lakeshore Drive south and head west at 116th Street.
Trying to utilize 85th Street to get to 7th Avenue is STRONGLY not recommended as north and southbound 7th Avenue will be in use.
Entering Carol Beach:
85th Street will be closed for the majority of the morning, as will 7th Avenue between 90th Street and 79th Street.
Entering Carol Beach via 116th Street is the recommended way to enter. Entering via 90th Street (by heading north on 7th Avenue) is possible, though not advised, as you will encounter delays as runners clear the road.
Go to wisconsinmarathon.com to view the map online and for more exact road closure times.