As runners are gearing up for the annual Fox Valley Marathon on Sunday, Sept. 21, local police departments are also preparing, with planned road closures in Geneva and St. Charles on the day of the race.
The Fox Valley Marathon’s races include the marathon, half marathon, Fall Final 20 and Fox Valley 5K, according to its website. The course starts in downtown St. Charles, runs through Geneva, Batavia and North Aurora and finishes back in St. Charles
The event is set to start and end at Mt. St. Mary’s Park, according to a news release from the St. Charles Police Department about the road closures. The race is set to begin at 7 a.m. on Sunday, with runners leaving the park via the Prairie Street Bridge, following routes both south and north on Riverside Avenue. The northbound marathon route will go on to the Illinois Street Bridge, then south on First Street to Geneva Road. There will also be closures as runners return to St. Charles on the east side of the Fox River.
From 6:46 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, the Prairie Street Bridge, just east of First Street to Riverside Avenue in St. Charles, will be closed, as will the southern sidewalk of the Illinois Street Bridge, per the news release from the police department. There will also be no event parking in the Whole Foods parking lot at 300 S. Second St. in St. Charles.
Additionally, from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m., the Illinois Street Bridge from South First Street to Riverside Avenue, First Street from Illinois Street to Geneva Road, Geneva Road from Prairie Street south to the border of St. Charles and Geneva and Riverside Avenue from Illinois Avenue to Division will be closed, according to the release. There will also be no parking allowed on First Street from Illinois Street to Prairie Street.
The race is set to go on until about 2 p.m. on Sunday, according to the St. Charles Police Department.
The St. Charles police warn that motorists should expect delays and urge them to watch for runners, spectators and emergency responders assisting with the event. Police and emergency management personnel will be at key locations to help with traffic direction, officials said.
In Geneva, a number of roads will be closed from 7 to 9 a.m. for the race, according to a news release from the Geneva Police Department. Those include Route 31 from Roosevelt Street in St. Charles to Fabyan Parkway, Stevens Street from Route 31 to Fifth Street, Ford Street from Route 31 to Fifth Street, North Fifth Street from Stevens to Peyton Street, Peyton from Fifth to Route 31, State Street from Route 25 to Seventh Street, James Street from Route 31 to Fifth Street, South Fifth from James Street to Campbell Street, Campbell from Fifth to Third Street, Third from Campbell to Fulton Street and Fulton from Third to Route 31.
On Route 38, traffic going east will detour south on Seventh Street, east on Franklin Street, south on Third Street to south on Route 31, east on Fabyan Parkway and north on Route 25, per the release. Those traveling west will follow that route in reverse.
For Route 31, motorists headed south will go west on Roosevelt Street, south on Third Street/Anderson Boulevard, east on State Street, south on Seventh Street, east on Franklin Street, south on Third Street to south on Route 31, per the release. Motorists going north will follow that route in reverse.
The Geneva Police Department encourages motorists seeking to avoid the road closures to use Route 25, Fabyan Parkway and Randall Road, and suggested trucks use this route and avoid downtown if possible.
There will be traffic control during the morning from marathon officials and police officers, according to the news release from the Geneva police. And there will be officials to assist motorists going to and from their homes if they live within the designated race course, the release stated.
