On Marathon Sunday, you can travel by pogo stick, by bike, public transit or skateboard in certain Brooklyn neighborhoods. But beware of driving. It's Marathon Sunday!
10 things to consider if you're planning on driving in Brooklyn on Marathon Sunday:
- It's Huge: The NYC Marathon is a well-orchestrated event but street closures last about 6 hours. There are nearly 50,000 runners and nearly 2 million spectators in this year's race.
- Look at a Map: Plot your driving route ahead of time the old fashioned way, or you might find yourself in a pickle. Meaning, if you rely on GPS, make sure it's "smart" enough to know that there's a huge race going on; otherwise it might route you to streets you won't be able to drive on.
- Know Where You're Going: Not all of Brooklyn will be snarled up. But don't even think about driving, say, from Carroll Gardens to Park Slope that day until after the race is over. Or over the Pulaski Bridge from, say, Williamsburg to PS1 in Long Island City. Don't even try to drive across the Marathon course (you can't) during the race.
- Watch the Clock: The Marathon route is closed to traffic earlier than you might expect. And this year, because of enhanced security in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon attack, the police will likely be stricter than in past years.
- Parking? Parking may be hard to find near some areas of the route, as spectators come from afar to cheer on elite runners, foreign runners, special runners and friends and colleagues in the race.
- Emergency? Plan ahead for emergencies: If you're planning to go into labor and have a baby on Sunday or need to get to a wedding upstate or in Jersey, plan ahead.
- Hosting an event? If you're hosting an event, for instance your child's birthday party, anywhere in Brooklyn, remind friends coming from afar to check the Marathon route so they can plan ahead.
- Be Conservative: Leave extra time.
- Gasoline? Get gas before Sunday if you generally rely on a gas station on the route.
- Rely on car services and cabs? Leave extra time for them, too.
More info will be forthcoming as the NYPD releases it. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, check this out: