City urges vigilance, patience ahead of this year’s Honolulu Marathon

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Ready or not, the Honolulu Marathon is set for Sunday.

Tens of thousands participate in the annual, 26.2-mile run — the fourth-largest in the United States.

This year, some 27,000 runners have signed up, not counting those set to run in related Honolulu Marathon events.

And the city says it’s ready for this year’s big event. From the public, they’re asking for vigilance — and patience.

Ever since the bombing of the Boston Marathon 5 years ago, the state’s biggest sporting event is considered a soft target for terrorism.

“If you see something, say something,” said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, at a news conference.

“We never want to have something like that occur here and I believe it can’t because we have an incredible group of public safety officers with the Honolulu Police Department and we have the military here and it’s on an island.”

Along with 400 special duty police officers, HPD will also have its bomb squad on standby. If there’s a situation with numerous victims, Emergency Medical Services says it will have equipment ready for multi-casualty incidents.

And the entire event will be monitored and recorded on traffic cameras.

Meanwhile, the city has also set up a complaint line at 673-5472. For safety concerns or other problems, call 911.

The marathon’s course begins in Downtown Honolulu, continues through Waikiki to east Honolulu and then wraps back around, ending at Kapiolani Park.

Lane closures and coning will start at 12:30 a.m. Sunday, and the race begins at 5 a.m.

Here’s a look at the traffic advisories in place for the event:

Ala Moana Boulevard from Atkinson Drive to Ward Avenue will be detoured from 12:30 a.m. Ala Moana Boulevard, including access to Ala Moana Park, should be re-opened at approximately 8 a.m.

Ala Moana Boulevard/Nimitz Highway Koko Head-bound traffic from Nuuanu to Ward Avenue will be detoured left at Smith Street from 2:30 a.m. Please use Vineyard Boulevard as a detour route.

King Street will be closed from Nuuanu Avenue to Kapiolani Boulevard from 3:30 a.m. Traffic will be detoured at Smith Street.

Kapiolani Boulevard will be closed in both directions from King Street to Piikoi Street at 3:30 a.m.. Ewa bound traffic will be detoured mauka bound at Piikoi Street.

Piikoi Street will be closed in both directions from Kapiolani Boulevard to Ala Moana Boulevard from 1 a.m. Local Traffic will be permitted to residents in this area until 3 a.m.

Kalakaua Avenue will be detoured left onto Kuhio Avenue from 3:30 a.m.

Kalakaua Avenue mauka side between Monsarrat Avenue and Poni Moi Road will be blocked from 4:30 a.m. until the Marathon is over. The makai lanes will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic at approximately 9 a.m.

Kapahulu Avenue makai-bound will be closed at Kuhio Avenue at 1:30 a.m.

Monsarrat Avenue from Kalakaua Avenue to Paki Avenue will be closed from 4:30 a.m. until the event is over.

Paki Avenue from Monsarrat Avenue to Kalakaua Avenue will be closed from 4:30 a.m. for the duration of the marathon.

The H-1 Freeway eastbound will be closed beginning at 3:30 a.m. at the Waialae Avenue off-ramp. H-1 traffic will be partially re-opened directly to the contraflow lane beginning at approximately 8:30 a.m., which will continue until the makai lanes of Kalanianaole Highway are re-opened at approximately 2 p.m.

Kalanianaole Highway from Ainakoa Street to Hawaii Kai Drive will have restricted access from 3:30 a.m. The mauka side of the highway will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic.

Kalanianaole Highway will be closed to through traffic from Hawaii Kai Drive to Keahole Street from about 3:30 a.m. Traffic will be detoured onto Hawaii Kai Drive via Kawaihae Road to Lunalilo Home Road.

18th Avenue will be closed from Diamond Head Road to Kilauea Avenue until runners clear the area.

Kealaolu Avenue will be closed from Waialae Avenue to Kahala Avenue from about 5:30 a.m. until the area is clear.

Kilauea Avenue eastbound lanes will be closed from 18th Avenue to Waialae Avenue at 4 a.m.

Hawaii Kai Drive makai lanes from Kalanianaole Highway to Keahole Street will be closed from about 2:30 a.m.

Keahole Street makai-bound lanes will be closed from about 2:30 a.m.

For more information on traffic disruptions, click here.

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