Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Where to drive, where to park for the Ironman race

By TIMES STAFF WRITER
Published November 9, 2006

ADVERTISEMENT

CLEARWATER - The Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 starts at 7 a.m. Saturday at Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach. The race will tie up beach parking and traffic from Pinellas Park to Countryside, including the Bayside Bridge and the Courtney Campbell Parkway. Here's what you need to know:

PARKING

The Pier 60 lot is closed through Sunday and the S Gulfview Boulevard north lot is closed through Monday. The Marina lot will close at 6 a.m. race day. The S Gulfview Boulevard south lot and the Sand Key lots are expected to fill up early on race day. Volunteers and spectators are encouraged to park in downtown Clearwater and take the shuttles.

SHUTTLES

Shuttles will run continuously from 4 a.m. until 6 p.m. on race day between the beach and these locations:

- Municipal Services Garage at East Avenue and Pierce Street.

- Court House at S Osceola Avenue and Court Street.

- Garage at 28 N Garden Ave.

- Mandalay Avenue, Papaya Street and the roundabout.

- Sand Key Park.

- Hamden Drive and Devon Drive.

TRAFFIC

Lane and road closures begin at 5 a.m. race day. Drivers will not be allowed to go south of the roundabout. Cars will be allowed to leave the north end of the beach via the roundabout but delays are expected. Full road closures include:

- S Gulfview Drive south of the roundabout to Fifth Street, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Camden Drive south of the roundabout to Fifth Street, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Village Drive from Countryside Boulevard to Enterprise Road, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

- Bayside Bridge northbound from Ulmerton Road to Drew Street, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

- Bay Avenue from Druid Road to Turner Road, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Oak Avenue from Turner Road to Chestnut Road, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Drivers should use the Belleair Causeway and Sand Key Bridge to and from points south of the roundabout. The race route does not affect U.S. 19, so use that race day. Residents should plan to leave the beach before 6:30 a.m. The Courtney Campbell Parkway is part of the bike route and will have one lane of traffic in each direction for bikes and one for cars. Rules of the road apply: bikes have right-of-way on the course. The full race route and more information can be found at www.myclearwater.com/ironman or at call the hotline at 562-4636.

[Last modified November 8, 2006, 23:36:31]