Motorists should plan ahead to avoid delays

Seattleites will be rocking out this coming weekend of June 21 through 23. The huge annual Rock’n’Roll Marathon and Half Marathon, which features over 40 bands along the 26- and 13- mile run and walk courses, starts warming up today and tomorrow with the Marathon Expo taking place at CenturyLink Field. The annual Honk! Fest West musical street festival in Georgetown is expected to draw thousands of music lovers tomorrow. The Fremont Fair gets underway with a large private party tomorrow night and is expected to attract crowds of 20-25,000 on Saturday and Sunday in the Fremont business district.  In order to avoid conflicts with the morning marathons, the ever-popular Fremont Solstice Parade, which officially kicks off summer in Seattle, has a new starting time this year of 3 p.m. Meanwhile In West Seattle, the Junction Morgan Community Festival promises family fun including 12 bands and other musical entertainers, food and a Pooch Parade.  For Mariners fans, the team takes on the Oakland Athletics Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Seattle Department of Transportation encourages motorists to plan ahead for traffic delays, or better yet, consider parking the car and taking one of the many alternate modes of transportation available – Metro Transit, the West Seattle Water Taxi, the Sounder commuter train, Link light rail, car pool, bicycle or walk, if feasible.  For more information about the weekend ahead, please see the schedule below:

Thursday, June 20
Rock N Roll Marathon & Half Marathon Expo: 12 Noon – 7 p.m.
CenturyLink Field Event Center
5,000
Expect congestion in the area.  http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/seattle/expo

Friday, June 21
Rock N Roll Marathon & Half Marathon Expo: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
CenturyLink Field Event Center
15,000
Expect congestion in the area.  http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/seattle/expo

Fremont Fair Friday night pre-party:   4 – 11 p.m.
Private lot at N 35^th Street and Phinney Avenue N
800 expected to attend
Streets closed 1 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Sunday within the following boundaries:  First Avenue NW; N 36^th Street; Fremont Avenue N; N 34^th Street /N Canal Street.
Expect heavy traffic in the surrounding area. http://www.fremontfair.org/

Honk! Fest West  – Georgetown:  6 – 10 p.m.
12^th Avenue S
2,000 attending
Streets closed from 4:30 – 10:30 p.m.: 12^th Avenue S between S Vale and S Harney streets.
Expect heavy congestion on adjacent streets. http://honkfestwest.com

Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics:   7:10 – 10 p.m.
Safeco Field
20,000 attending
Expect congestion on streets surrounding the stadium before and after the game.

Saturday, June 22
Rock N Roll Marathon & Half Marathon:  7 a.m. –  2:30 p.m.
Seattle Center (starts and ends)
25,000 participants and spectators
Key Closures: C. 
Streets near the center, such as Mercer Street and Fifth Avenue, will be closed from midnight on Friday into Saturday morning. The Northbound SR-99/Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed between S Hudson Street and Roy Street from 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. From the morning into early afternoon, other key closures include: I-5 and I-90 ramps at Columbia, Dearborn and Rainier; I-90 express lanes; Broad Street; the downtown core area from Second Avenue to Fifth Avenue; Rainer Avenue S and Lake Washington Boulevard.
Streets along the 26 – and 13 – mile routes will be closed from the early morning and then reopened once all participants have moved through.  Motorists should plan on delays around the Seattle Center and along the race route throughout the morning and into the afternoon.
Please race website for full details plus road closure and  alternate route maps at:  http://seattle.competitor.com/

Fremont Fair:   10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Fremont Business District
25,000 expected
Streets closed 1 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Sunday within the following boundaries:  First Avenue NW; N 36^th Street; Fremont Avenue N; N 34^th Street /N Canal Street.
Expect heavy traffic in the surrounding area. http://www.fremontfair.org/

Morgan Junction Community Festival: 10:30 a. m. – 7  p.m.
Morgan Park and Washington Federal parking lot
600 expected
No street closures, but traffic may be congested in the surrounding area. http://www.scribd.com/doc/148248111/Morgan-Junction-Community-Festival-2013

Fremont Solstice Parade: 3 p.m.
NW 36^th Street and Leary Way NW (starting point)
22,000 attending
Parade route closes at 2:30 p.m.: Starts at NW 36^th Street and Leary Way NW; moves east on 36^th to Fremont Place N; south on Fremont Place to Fremont Avenue N; south on Fremont Avenue to N 34^th Street; east on 34^th to Stone Way N; south on Stone to N Northlake Way; east on Northlake into Gas Works Park.
Expect heavy congestion in the area; attendees should allow time to park several blocks away and walk to their parade viewing point. http://fremontartscouncil.org/

Fremont Solstice Celebration Festival:  3 – 9 p.m.
Gas Works Park
2,000 attending  
Expect congestion on streets nearby the park.  http://fremontartscouncil.org/

Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics :  7:10 – 10 p.m.
Safeco Field – 10
26,000 attending
Expect congestion on streets surrounding the stadium before and after the game.

Sunday, June 23
Fremont Fair:  11 a.m.  – 6 p.m.
10,000 expected
Streets closed 1 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Sunday within the following boundaries:  First Avenue NW; N 36^th Street; Fremont Avenue N; N 34^th Street /N Canal Street.
Expect heavy traffic in the surrounding area. http://www.fremontfair.org/

Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics:  1:10 – 4 p.m.
Safeco Field
27,000 attending
Expect congestion on streets surrounding the stadium before and after the game.

Contact:  Peg Nielsen, 206.684.8114