Athletes from all 50 states and eight different countries will take to the streets on Sunday, March 3 for the Little Rock Marathon, presented by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Race Director Mike Garrity said that many of those streets will be closed for part of the day - or in some cases, all weekend - to create a safe environment for participants both on and off the course.

Garrity noted there will be hard closures around the edges of the course that the general public needs to be aware of and should factor into any travel they may need to make in and around those areas around Race Weekend. 

Garrity specifically mentioned the closure of LaHarpe Boulevard between State Street and Clinton Avenue which has proven to be a pain point for drivers leaving downtown on Friday afternoon. “We understand that people want to get home quickly to start their weekends away from the crowds Race Weekend brings to town, so we just ask for a little patience,” he said. "We know it causes headaches." 

• Thursday, Feb. 29 at 9:00 am: LaHarpe Blvd. from State Street to behind the Statehouse Convention Center will close to one lane of traffic to allow for Expo Vendors to load in;
• Friday, March 1 at 9:00 am: LaHarpe Blvd. will close both lanes in both directions from State Street to President Clinton Avenue, and will remain closed until approximately 10:00 pm on Sunday, March 3.

Garrity said the Marathon this year will utilize a course used in years before the I-30 Crossing project began. This year, after athletes cross back into Little Rock from North Little Rock on the Broadway Bridge, they will then head east past the Clinton Library toward Clinton National Airport before coming back into SoMA and moving west toward historic Little Rock Central High.

The Marathon will again use a system of rolling street closures for both Saturday and Sunday, meaning as the athletes approach, the roads close. "We use the rolling closures to get the streets opened back up to the public faster," Garrity said. "Once all the athletes clear that area, it will open back up for public use."

The Little Rock Marathon is a project of Little Rock Parks & Recreation; proceeds from the race are used to upgrade playgrounds and parks in the city. 

With the exception of the LaHarpe closure, the entire course should be open for traffic at approximately 3:00 pm on Sunday. LaHarpe from State Street to President Clinton Avenue will reopen Sunday night by 10:00 pm. Marathon officials have posted comprehensive information about street closures and fully detailed course maps are available here: www.littlerockmarathon.com/course. For more information about Race Weekend, please visit www.littlerockmarathon.com.

Times and locations for street closures are listed below:

Thursday, February 29, 2024

9:00 am HARD CLOSURE: Eastbound LaHarpe Blvd., from State St. to Statehouse Convention will close to one lane for Expo Vendors.  

Friday, March 1, 2024

9:00 am HARD CLOSURE: LaHarpe Blvd. will close in both directions, from State Street to President Clinton Avenue. LaHarpe from State to President Clinton will remain closed until

Sunday, March 3 at approximately 10:00 pm

Saturday, March 2, 2024  

4:00 am Cumberland northbound at Second Street | Reopens approx. 8:30am

5:00 am Markham both east and westbound at Scott Street | Reopens approx. 8:30am

Second Street east and westbound at Scott Street | Reopens approx. 8:30am

Alley between Scott and Main northbound and southbound

5:30 am President Clinton Avenue westbound at Ottenheimer/Rock | Reopens approx.

8:30am

Second Street westbound at Rock Street| Reopens approx. 8:30am

6:00 am Main, Louisiana and Center streets northbound at Markham Street | Reopen

approx. 2:00pm

Main northbound at Second Street | Reopens approx. 2:00pm

Markham Street from Center to Cumberland | Reopens approx. 1:00pm

Broadway Bridge southbound to Cantrell Road | Reopens approx. 2:00pm

7:00 am Chester Street exit from I-630 – both east and westbound | Reopens approx. 9:30am

Sunday, March 3, 2024

4:00 am      Barrels, cones on Cantrell from Junior Deputy to Chester | Reopens

conclusion of race

Cumberland northbound at Second Street | Reopens approx. 9:00am

5:00 am Cones on Third/Markham from Barton to Kavanaugh | Reopens as course clears

Alley between Scott and Main northbound and southbound

Broadway northbound at Capitol | Reopens as course clears

Third Street eastbound at Arch | Reopens as course clears

Riverfront Drive, northbound | Reopens as course clears

Cantrell Hill eastbound curb lane from Lookout to Cedar Hill |

Reopens approx. 3:00pm

Markham from Center to Cumberland | Reopens approx. 11:00 am

Markham both east and westbound at Scott Street | Reopens approx. 9:00am

Second Street east and westbound at Scott Street | Reopens approx. 9:00am

Main, Louisiana and Center streets northbound at Markham Street | Reopens

approx. 2:00pm

Main northbound at Second Street | Reopens approx. 2:00pm

Sixth Street, from Sixth to Roundabout | Reopen as course clears

Broadway Bridge southbound to Cantrell Road | Reopens approx. 4:00pm

5:30 am       Broadway Bridge southbound on North Little Rock side | Reopens approx. 8:45am

Broadway Bridge northbound on Little Rock side | Reopens approx. 8:45am

President Clinton Avenue westbound at Ottenheimer/Rock

Second Street westbound at Rock

7:30 am      Chester southbound at Sixth Street | Reopens approx. Noon

Chester Street exit from I-630 – both east and westbound | Reopens

approx. 11:30am

8:00 am        Brookwood southbound at Cedar Hill | Reopens approx. 3:00pm

Cedar Hill eastbound at Mart

Markham/Third Street from Martin Luther King, Jr., to Kavanaugh | Reopens as

course clears

8:15 am Third Street westbound at Spring | Reopens as course clears

Spring southbound at Third | Reopens as course clears