How to get around during Myrtle Beach Marathon

Navigating construction, temporary road closures and new safety measures Saturday morning for the 19th Annual Myrtle Beach Marathon may prove challenging, but race officials and police are encouraging everyone to plan ahead, be patient and look to social media for updates and an interactive map for help to get around.

The eastern lanes of a few blocks of Ocean Boulevard were coned off Tuesday as construction crews scurried to finish up the second phase of a three-winter streetscape improvement project that may now stretch past Easter.

The sounds of heavy machinery rolling over crushed pavement and scooping up mounds of dirt and rocks set the scene along a portion of a route marathon runners would take in four days. The project won’t be finished by then, but the construction work is not expected to reroute the 26.2-mile race.

“The west two lanes are paved and ready for the marathon,” Assistant City Manager Ron Andrews said Wednesday.

Myrtle Beach Marathon president Shaun Walsh said the two-lane restriction should not pose a problem because most of the course on Ocean Boulevard is already restricted to two lanes or to a car lane and bike path in parts. The later date of the marathon will also afford more sunlight to crankchair and wheelchair participants, he said, to help them navigate potholes or any raised manholes. The marathon moved from February to March this year.

The main events of the 19^th annual Myrtle Beach Marathon will kick off at 6:30 a.m. Saturday from a starting line just south of 21^st Avenue North on Robert M. Grissom Parkway. The course will lead runners throughout the city requiring several road closures from 4 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Myrtle Beach Police Department has created a real-time interactive map to help motorists navigate around the race, showing which streets are open or congested and the route the marathon will take. The map is available online at http://www.myrtlebeacheventmaps.com/

Lt. Joey Crosby of the Myrtle Beach Police Department encourages people to keep refreshing the map site to get the latest information on road closures and congestion. Blue markers staked along the route in the interactive map will help motorists see which roads will be closed and when they may reopen. Portions of the marathon route, which will remain outlined in yellow before the race, will begin to disappear as roads are reopened.

“Also, we’ll be providing updates on Facebook and Twitter,” Crosby said. Updates on Facebook can be found at Myrtle Beach Police Department and on Twitter @MBPDSC.

Race officials say congestion along the course will be at its height between 9 a.m. and noon. Traffic lanes will be coned off for runners so motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes or expect delays.

“We really are encouraging motorists to please be patient, know that there’s going to be additional traffic on the roadways this weekend. We have three major sporting events going on. You have the marathon, you have a soccer tournament and you have a gymnastics meet all happening this weekend,” Crosby said. “So we are anticipating heavy traffic and also compile that with the runners on the roadway, we’re really encouraging motorists to give themselves extra time and be patient. Plan ahead.”

Race officials are anticipating a crowd of nearly 10,000 participants and visitors for marathon race events that start with a kid’s fun run and a 5K Friday night. Race events are set to host participants from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and eight countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden, Romania and Japan.

“Motorists are really encouraged to avoid the area of 21st (Avenue North) and 29th Avenue North and Grissom Parkway. Those are major congestion points as well as Grande Dunes Drive and Kings Highway,” Crosby said. “Utilize the (U.S. 17) Bypass as much as you can for your travels and then also remembering that Ocean Boulevard northbound will be for the runners only so there’s no northbound traffic on Ocean Boulevard.”

Several security measures including bag checks and barricades will also be put in place for the safety of participants, volunteers and spectators. Bags and purses will be checked at the start and finish lines Saturday and police are encouraging everyone to come with as few items as possible to avoid long security checks.

Barricades are set to be stationed along the east side of Ocean Boulevard at all of the driveways and intersections for the safety of participants during the marathon.

“This will provide an extra layer of security for the runners to ensure that someone leaving a motel parking lot on the eastside that, that motorist doesn’t just dart out in that lane of travel thinking there’s nobody there because that’s for the runners only,” Crosby said. “We have shared this information with the motels as well through the hospitality association about the effects it may have on the business on Ocean Boulevard, plus ... we’ve really been utilizing Facebook and Twitter to get this message out as well.”

Myrtle Beach police are reminding the public to be aware of enhanced security measures in place this year.

“Due to the things that have happened across the world at other sporting events, we modified our operational plan to make sure that we had additional measures of security to provide additional safety to everyone that may be coming,” Crosby said.

“We’ve added several different components to our operational plan to make sure that we can address any type of situation that may arise so we have developed contingency plans for the event to make sure that we have a proper response should something happen,” Crosby said. “We have a sufficient amount of staff and resources to address any traffic concerns as well as to increase the enhanced safety measures. We’ve also obtained assistance from outside agencies this year so they’ll be coming to assist us.”

At least six agencies will be assisting Myrtle Beach police officers at the event, along with several ambassadors who will be near the start and finish lines to assist participants and spectators.

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 6:19 PM with the headline "How to get around during Myrtle Beach Marathon."