Illinois Marathon’s Street Closures Will Impact Farmer’s Market

Saturday's Illinois Marathon in Champaign-Urbana could alter the schedule for some shoppers at this season's first Market at the Square.

The Market will start its 31st season this weekend at Illinois and Vine Streets in Urbana. Vine is also one of those streets that will see more than 10,000 runners pass through from the west, as the marathon and half-marathon races get underway at 7:30. Starting their route at the U of I by going up 1st Street, runners will be entering Urbana on Green Street, north on Race, and east on Main Street. Lieutenant Kent Jepsen is the special events coordinator with Urbana Police. He expects the intersection of Main and Vine Streets to re-open around 9, but says there will be some gaps. "Prior to that, of course the runners will have lightened up," said Jepsen. "You'll be at the back of the pack of the 9-to-10,000 runners, so there will be pusling across Main and Vine as runners allow. In other words, when there's light runners and gaps in between them, the officer and volunteers will allow traffic to pulse through southbound." Market at the Square shoppers who live just south of that intersection won't be impacted. The runners will continue east on Main Street and south down Cottage Grove.

A total of 14,200 runners are now registered for the 2nd annual Illinois Marathon. Full details are available on line at the Illinois Marathon website. Event Co-director Mike Lindemann says motorists in Champaign won't see the same impact, with some streets limited to one lane. "I don't want to say there won't be delays in Champaign, there will be." said Lindemann. "But if people are patient, or if they look at that web site, there's a beltway map to get around the course. And to get around it, obviously you have to drive a few miles out of the way, but it might be better than waiting 15 or 20 minutes at a corner to get across the street." Lindeman says the event has now recruited the volunteers necessary for Saturday's events. Six countries and 46 states are represented in the marathon, half-marathon, and 5K race.