DURBAN Metro Police are prepared to host the 93rd Comrades Marathon on Sunday.
Thousands of athletes will set off from Pietermaritzburg at 5.30am to the finish at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Athletes will run contraflow on Old Main Road to the M13 and will join the N3 from Sherwood. They will then proceed down the N3 and take the new ‘Fly Over’ to David Webster (Leopold St) which continues as Bram Fischer Rd (Ordnance Rd). They then turn left into Masabalala Yengwa (NMR Avenue) to end at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
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Metro Police spokesman, Parboo Sewpersad said routes would be monitored by CCTV cameras, marshalls, police and a helicopter and security personnel would be deployed along the route.
“Motorists can expect a few traffic delays, congestion and road closures along the planned route,” he added. “We appeal to all motorists to display patience and plan their routes carefully, obey all police instructions and heed all road closures.”
Sewpersad cautioned motorists to ensure that their vehicles were not parked illegally or they would be towed and said valuables should not be left visible inside vehicles.
Members of the public wishing to view the race or meet athletes at the finishing line should take note of the following route into Durban to avoid delays:
Take the N3 towards Durban and at the E B Cloete Interchange (otherwise known as Spaghetti Junction) take the N2 north towards Umhlanga/King Shaka Airport. Take the Umgeni Road (Exit 170) Interchange fly over and proceed along Umgeni Road, passing Makro on your right hand side. After 4km turn left into Smiso Nkwanyana Road and then right into Masabalala Yengwa Avenue. From here various advertised parking options will be available for you to use.
Parking areas include the at Sahara Cricket Stadium, Jonssons Kings Park Rugby Stadium, Athletic Stadium, Kings Park Swimming pools, Durban Country Club and People’s Park with access via Sandile Thusi (Argyle) Road.
Road closures and times are as follows:
From the start in Pietermaritzburg: Chief Albert Luthuli Road closes at 11.55pm and opens at 8am.
Chief Albert Luthuli Road to Alan Paton Road, closes at 2am and pens at 6.30am.
Alan Paton Road to the N3 freeway closes at 4am and opens at 6.30am.
Market Road to Polly Shortts closes at 4am and opens at 7.45am.
Polly Shortts to Ashburton Road closes at 5am and opens at 8.30am.
Ashburton Road to the N3 Lion Park closes at 5am and opens at 8.45am.
N3 Lion Park to Umlaas Road closes at 5.15am and opens at 9.45am.
Umlaas Road to Camperdown closes at 5.30am and opens at 10.30
Camperdown to Cato Ridge town area closes at 6am and opens at 11am.
Cato Ridge town area will closes at 6.15am and open at 11.20am.
Cato Ridge town area to Eddie Hagan Road closes at 6.30am and opens at 11.40am.
Eddie Hagan Road to Thousand Hills Drive closes at 6.30am and opens at 12-noon.
Thousand Hills Drive to Halfway mark at Drummond closes at 6.45am and opens at 1pm.
Halfway mark to Alverstone Road closes at 7am and opens at 1.15pm.
Alverstone Road to Kassier Road closes at 7.30am and opens at 2pm.
Kassier Road to Inanda Road closes at 7.45am and opens at 2.30pm.
Inanda Road to Winston Park closes at 8am and opens at 3pm.
Winston Park to Everton Road closes at 8am and opens at 3.15pm.
M13 West Bound closes at 8am and opens at 4pm.
Kloof Old Main Road to M13 West Bound closes at 8am and opens at 3.45pm.
Bottom of Fields Hill to St Johns Avenue closes at 8am and opens at 4.15pm.
St Johns Avenue to Otto Volek closes at 8am an dopens at 4.30pm.
Otto Volek to King Cetshwayo Highway closes at 8am and opens at 5pm.
King Cetshwayo Highway to 45th Cutting closes at 8am and opens at 5.15pm.
45th Cutting to the Sherwood on ramp closes at 8am and opens at 5.30pm.
N3 East Bound will close at 8am and open at 6pm.
N3 to David Webster & Braam Fischer Str closes at 7am and opens at 8pm.
c/o Samora Machel & Masabalala Yengwa (NMR) Ave to the Moses Mabhida Stadium closes at 7am and opens at 9.30pm.
