It’s going to be a busy weekend in Duluth with travelers coming from all over to take part in the marathon festivities this weekend.

Grandma’s Marathon and the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon are happening Saturday, June 18, so people should expect delays and detours around Duluth and the North Shore.

Detour routes are in place for Interstate 35 and Highway 61 to accommodate the marathon.

The traditional detour route through downtown is under construction.

Interstate 35 is open but is down to one lane northbound and one lane southbound.

If you plan to head to town Friday, there could be longer than normal delays going through Duluth as well.

On Friday, June 17: Canal Park Drive from Railroad Street to Buchanan Street will closed to most traffic to allow for Grandma’s finish line set up.

Guests staying in the hotels along Canal Park Drive will have limited use of the road to access their hotels on Friday.

Traffic accessing locations South of Buchanan Street should use South Lake Ave to Buchanan Street, not Canal Park Drive. Canal Park Drive will remain closed to automobile traffic until after the Grandma’s Marathon on Saturday, June 18.

On Saturday, June 18: Scenic Highway 61, along Lake Superior from Duluth to Two Harbors, will close to traffic at 4:15 a.m.

Scenic Highway 61, between McQuade Road and Ryan Road, will close at 3:45 a.m. for half marathon start set-up.

Motorists should slow down and be alert to special signing and lane closures on the Highway 61 Expressway just south of Two Harbors, starting at 4:15 a.m. Lakewood, Homestead, Ryan, and McQuade Roads will close from the Highway 61 Expressway to Scenic Highway 61 at 4:15 a.m. Harbor Drive, from the DECC East Gate to the Aquarium, will be restricted to buses only at 4:30 a.m. Harbor Drive will close to all traffic at 5:30 a.m.

Most avenues leading to London Road will close at 4:30 a.m. Starting at 5:30 a.m., the following roads will close to traffic and will remain closed until the end of the Marathon:

• All of London Road -
• Superior Street from 12th Avenue East to 5th Avenue West
• Michigan Street from 4th Avenue East to 5th Avenue West
• Commerce Street/Railroad Street, Lake Place Drive, and Canal Park Dr.
• The southbound lanes of I-35 from 21st and 26th Avenues East will close at 4:30 a.m.
• The northbound lanes of I-35 will close at 5:30 a.m. from Mesaba Avenue to 26th Avenue East.
• A detour will guide vehicles to 2nd Street to continue east. Northbound traffic on I-35 will be diverted up Mesaba Avenue to 2nd Street at 5:30 a.m. Westbound traffic on 1st St. will not be able to access Mesaba Avenue and will instead be diverted to Superior Street and I-35 at 6th Avenue West at 5:30 a.m.

ACCESS &DETOURS: PARK POINT AND CANAL PARK ACCESS: The only access for motorists wanting to reach Park Point or the Canal Park area during the Marathon on Saturday, June 18 will be on 5th Avenue West from Superior Street.

There will be no vehicle access to Park Point or Canal Park from Lake Avenue. DECC ACCESS: Motorists wanting to reach the DECC or Bayfront area during the Marathon on Saturday must use either 5th Avenue West or Garfield Avenue to Railroad Street.

There will be no vehicle access to the DECC from Lake Avenue LONDON ROAD ACCESS All of London Road will close to traffic from 5:30 a.m. until approximately 3:00 p.m. Local residents and spectators along London Road can use Superior Street and Jefferson Street to access the avenues above London Road for parking during the Marathon.

Spectators are encouraged to continue using the sides of London Road for watching the race.

DEPOT, LIBRARY, AND GATEWAY TOWER ACCESS The Depot, the Library, and Gateway Towers will be accessible from Superior Street to 6th Avenue West during the Marathon.

THE FOLLOWING DETOURS WILL BE IN PLACE FOR I-35, LONDON ROAD, SUPERIOR STREET, AND MICHIGAN STREET, STARTING AT 5:30 A.M., SATURDAY:

• Eastbound local streets and northbound I-35 detour: Traffic will use 2nd Street from Mesaba Avenue to 21st Avenue East, down 21st Avenue Avenue East to Superior Street, and continue east on Superior Street.
• Westbound local streets and southbound I-35 detour: Traffic will use Superior Street from the Highway 61 Expressway to 21st Avenue East, proceed north on 21st Avenue East, then continue west on 3rd Street to Mesaba Avenue.

PARKING: Parking is not allowed on any part of the race course.

For real-time traffic and travel information click here.

To see the original report and read related stories, follow this link to the KBJR 6 News website.