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Traffic Advisory: Half-Marathon Impacts Roads Around Campus

Bull City Race Fest will temporarily close some streets Sunday

The Bull City Race Fest course will impact traffic as runners work their way through Durham neighborhoods.
The Bull City Race Fest course will impact traffic as runners work their way through Durham neighborhoods.

Traffic will be detoured around Duke and nearby streets Sunday as part of the annual Bull City Race Fest & Food Truck Rodeo.

Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 16, to avoid delays between 6 and 11 a.m. as the race winds around roads from American Tobacco Campus to East Campus and along Campus Drive. The Durham Police Department will have officers stationed at various intersections to guide motorists and ensure public safety. About 6,000 runners are estimated to be taking part in the race.

Many roads will close and reopen on a rolling basis as runners complete portions of the course. Some roads will stay closed for a specific amount of time:

  • Blackwell Street: closed from Morehead Avenue to W. Pettigrew Street from 4 to 11 a.m.
  • Main Street: closed from Magnum Street to Buchanan Boulevard from 7:45 to 9:30 a.m.
  • Buchanan Boulevard: closed from W. Markham Avenue to Main Street from 8:45 to 9:20 a.m.

A complete breakdown of traffic detours and estimates of road impacts can be found on the Bull City Race Fest website along with a course map. Additional information is available regarding vehicle access to Durham churches during the race.

Motorists will not be allowed on the course once each section of a roadway has been closed. Detours and alternate routes will be enabled by police and course marshals. At certain intersections, cars may be directed across the course when deemed safe by an officer controlling that intersection.

Roads are expected to be clear by 11 a.m., when normal traffic flow will resume.