Extensive road closures planned for BMO Van Marathon this weekend

Tons of road closures are planned for the BMO Van Marathon coming to the city on April 30 and May 1. Runners hit the streets on Sunday, but virtual participation and sign-up also has other areas closed Saturday. 

A record-breaking 18,500 registrants will be racing during the event, which is finally resuming in-person again after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic.

Thank you for helping host Canada’s largest Marathon race! @CityofVancouver @SportHostingVan @MyVancouver @HelloBC @BMO @runvancanada https://t.co/wsOMJJLa2P

— Vancouver Marathon (@BMOVanMarathon) April 30, 2022

Vancouver Police confirmed “there will be a lot of road closures due to the marathon and it may be challenging for people to move around the west side and downtown” in an email to Daily Hive on April 30.

Police will post updates on social media throughout the weekend.

“The event follows a rolling road closure/opening protocol,” says BMO Van Marathon’s website.

“This means that roads will close and later re-open as runners pass through the course; NO roads are closed for the entire duration of the race. The Half Marathon has a time limit of 4 hours and the Marathon has an event time requirement of 6.5 hours.”

BMO Van Marathon/Website

General traffic disruption and public access route areas

On April 30, traffic will be impacted around Vancouver’s Riley Park, Coal Harbour, and Downtown Area.

On May 1, affected areas include Riley Park, South Cambie, Oakridge, Fairview, Kerrisdale, Dunbar, UBC, Point Grey, Kitsilano, West End, Coal Harbour, Chinatown, Yaletown, Cambie, False Creek, and Downtown.

Here’s the general information you need to know about public access routes, organized by part of town: 

• Coal Harbour (6 am – 5 pm): Use West Cordova from Burred
• Airport (7:30 am – 9:30 am): Use Main Street to Marine Drive
• Canada Place/Port (no time listed): Use West Hastings via Main Street
• Transit riders (7:30 am – 10 am): Expect delays on Oak Street, Cambie Street, and Granville Street
• Hillcrest Community Centre: Local access only via Main Street and 30th Avenue

These closures are important to know about before you leave the house this weekend.

Please be aware of temporary road closures in and around the city on Sunday, May 1: https://t.co/pWhmIatl6X #bmovm #runvan https://t.co/ySxzu2O4Pn

— Vancouver Marathon (@BMOVanMarathon) April 30, 2022

Start Area – Queen Elizabeth Park

People starting the marathon from Queen Elizabeth Park will cause some closures. 

Access to Hillcrest Community Centre is available for locals via Main Street and 30th Avenue. 

From Saturday at 5 pm to Sunday at 1 pm, Midlothian Avenue from Dismount to Clancy Lorange Way will be closed. Midlothian Avenue from West 29th Avenue to Ontario Street will also be closed from Saturday at 10 pm to Sunday at 10 am.

On Sunday, roads will be closed on Midlothian Avenue and Clancy Lorange Way.

From midnight until noon on Sunday, 33rd Avenue at Main Street will be closed.

From 5 am to 9 am, use Main Street at 33rd Avenue to access Hillcrest Community Centre.

During this time frame, local traffic can use Cambie Street to Main Street from King Edward Avenue to West 41st Street.

Finally, West 29th Avenue from Cambie Street to Midlothian Avenue will be closed from 6:30 am to 9 am. 

Finish Area – Coal Harbour 

On Saturday, from noon until 8 pm, West Hastings Street West of Burrard will be closed, as will Burrard Street to Bute Street, West Pender Street from Burrard to Denman, and Thurlow from Eveleigh to Cordova. 

Local traffic can use West Cordova Street via Burred Street in the Coal Harbour area if they’re dealing with closures.

On Sunday, the area around the finish line on West Pender Street and Bute Street will be closed. 

My hubby is running the @BMOVanMarathon (half-marathon) on Sunday and here I am trying to find the list food trucks that will be at the festival. 👀 #bmovm #runvan

— Smooch Food Vancouver (@smoochfood) April 29, 2022

For the street festival from 8:30 am to 3 pm on Sunday, West Hastings Street will be closed between Burrard and Bute Streets.

South Cambie/Oakridge/Fairview

BMO Van Marathon/Website

From 6:30 am to 8:15 am, the northbound lane of Cambie Street will be closed from West 29th Avenue to Pacific Boulevard. The northbound lane will also be closed on Cambie from West 41st to West 49th Avenue from 6:45 am until 9 am.

The southbound lane is going to be closed on Cambie Street from King Edward Avenue to West 49th Avenue starting 8 am and ending 9:30 am on race day.

Only local traffic can use Granville Street or Oak Street from West 41st Avenue to West 57th Avenue between 7:30 am and 9 am Sunday.

UBC/Endowment Lands/Dunbar/Southlands/Kerrisdale

From 8 am to 10 am, the Westbound lane of West 49th Avenue from Southwest Marine Drive to Cambie Street will be closed. 

So will the westbound lane of Southwest Marine Drive from Camosun Street to 49th Avenue starting 8 am and ending 10:15 am.

During the same time period, West 41st Avenue from Crown Street to Camosun Street and Southwest Marine Drive will be closed. 

From 8 am to 10:30 am, Camosun Street from Southwest Marine Drive to West 29th Avenue will be closed too, with drivers and pedestrians encouraged to use Dunbar Street instead.

Ahead of Sunday’s @BMOVanMarathon , please be aware that a number of roads providing access to #PacificSpiritRegionalPark will be closed to vehicle traffic between 8:30 am and noon. These include NW Marine, SW Marine, 16th Ave, Camosun St. & Imperial Dr. https://t.co/5jBM2uhQL0

— Metro Vancouver (@MetroVancouver) April 29, 2022

And from 8 am to 10:45 am, West 29th Avenue from Imperial Drive to Camosun Street will not be accessible.

Beginning 8:30 am and lasting until 10:45 am, Imperial Drive from West 29th Avenue to West 16th Avenue will also be closed.

So will the eastbound lane of West 16th Avenue from Imperial Drive to Westbrook Mall — and the westbound lane of Southwest Marine Drive to Westbrook Mall. 

From 8:45 am to 11 am, Blanca Street from 16th Avenue to 10th Avenue will be closed as well. 

And from 8:45 until 11:30 am, the northbound lane of Northwest/Southwest Marine Drive from Chancellor Boulevard to West 16th Avenue will be closed. 

Only local traffic will be able to use West 41st Avenue and Dunbar Street.

Point Grey/Kitsilano

There’s going to be a block party on Kitsilano Beach on Cornwall Avenue to celebrate the whole event on Sunday, which will cause some shutdowns. 

From 9 am to 12:15 pm, there are quite a few closures. 

Northwest Marine Drive from Chancellor Boulevard to West 4th Avenue will be closed, along with Belmont Avenue from Northwest Marine Drive to Discovery Street. 

Only local traffic will be allowed during that period on West 4th at Trimble Street and at Belmont Avenue and Marine Drive. 

From 9 am to noon, Discovery Street from Northwest Marine Drive to Belmont Avenue will be blocked. 

The eastbound lanes of West 4th Avenue from Northwest Marine Drive to Highbury Street will be open, but one westbound lane will be closed. 

Alma Street from Point Grey Road to West 4th Avenue will be closed from 9 am to 12:15 pm. 

Local traffic only can use West 2nd Avenue at Alma Street from 10:15 am to 12:15 pm. 

Point Grey Road from Highbury Street to Trafalgar Street will be closed from 9:30 am to 12:45 pm.

And from 9:30 am to 1 pm, These streets will be closed: Cornwall Avenue from Chestnut Street to Cypress Street and Trafalgar Street to Cypress Street, Arbutus North of Cornwall, McNicoll from Maple to Arbutus, Maple from McNicoll to Ogden, Ogden from Maple to Chestnut, and Chestnut north of Cornwall.

The Burrard Marina near Whyte Avenue and Chestnut Street can only be accessed via Cypress Street during that time frame. 

Downtown Vancouver 

BMO Van Marathon/Website

At 6:30 am, the northbound lane of the Cambie Street Bridge from West 2nd to Pacific Boulevard will be closed, but the southbound lane will be open. 

The northbound lane of the Dunsmuir Viaduct will also be closed from 6:45 am to 8:45 am. Use Main Street to West Hastings Street instead. 

Starting 9 am and ending 1:30 pm, the Burrard Street Bridge will have its southbound lane closed and two northbound lanes open from Cornwall Street to Pacific Street. 

Lastly, from 7:30 am until 12:45 pm, Denman Street from West Georgia Street to the Seawall will be closed, with only local traffic allowed via Bayshore Drive at Cardero Street. 

False Creek/Chinatown

These Race Day closures start early too, from 6:45 am until 8:45 am: Union Street from Main Street to Expo Boulevard and Pacific Boulevard from Nelson Street to Quebec Street. 

East Pender Street from Columbia to Homer will have the eastbound lane closed and the westbound lane open.

And Quebec Street/Columbia from 1st Avenue to East Pender Street will have the southbound lane closed and northbound lane open to local traffic. 

Yaletown

Yaletown’s closures start at 7 am and end at 9:15 pm on May 1. 

This includes Homer Street from Pender to Robson, Robson Street from Homer to Hamilton, Hamilton Street from Robson to Smithe, Helmcken Street from Mainland to Homer, Mainland Street from Smithe to Davie, and Davie Street from Mainland to Pacific Boulevard. 

West End 

BMO Van Marathon/Website

Time for another block party! This one will be happening by English Bay along Beach Avenue and Gilford Street on Sunday.

From 7 am to 9:15 pm, these streets will be closed: Granville Street from Beach Avenue to Pacific Boulevard, and Rolston Street and Continental Street.

During the same time period, there are some lane closures. The eastbound lane of Pacific Street from Richards to Seymour will be closed. The westbound lane of Pacific Boulevard from Seymour Street to Cambie Street will too be closed, but the eastbound one will remain open.

Only the westbound lane will be open to local traffic on Beach Avenue from Granville to Jervis. 

On Beach Avenue from Jervis to Denman Streets, the eastbound lane will be closed and the westbound one will be open from 7 am to 12:45 pm.

The eastbound lane on Beach Avenue from Denman Street to Stanley Park Drive will be closed from 7 am to 9:45 am. 

Finally, the eastbound lane will be closed — and westbound will be open — on Pacific Street from Burrard to Bidwell on Sunday from 9 am to 1:30 pm. 

Stanley Park 

All roads in Stanley Park will be closed, though the causeway will remain open. The Stanley Park Seawall will also be either fully or partially closed as well, according to BMO Van Marathon’s website.

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RUNVAN works with the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Police Department, Vancouver Park Board, and TransLink to make sure the marathon goes smoothly.

There will also be “no parking” zones set up along the course during the early morning on Sunday.

“Traffic control personnel will be stationed at major intersections and access points along the race route to safely manage and redirect traffic,” says the website.

“Motorists are asked to avoid travel during the impacted hours and consider alternative times for local trips. Motorist who do travel during these times are advised to please plan ahead for potential delays and stoppages on affected routes.”