Essential Road Closures for the Novant Health Wilmington NC Marathon This Weekend – Plan Ahead!

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Get ready, runners! On Saturday, February 22, over 5,000 participants will hit the pavement for the Novant Health Wilmington NC Marathon.

The race kicks off at Wrightsville Beach, specifically at Johnnie Mercer Pier. From there, runners will navigate through Eastwood Road, Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Castle Hayne Rd, and McRae St, making their way into downtown Wilmington.

Marathon runners will complete a loop around Greenfield Lake before returning downtown to cross the finish line. The race starts bright and early at 7 a.m., so expect road closures early in the morning.

To help you plan your day, here are some key areas to avoid:

• Military Cutoff & Eastwood from 6:45 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
• West Bound 74/76 (Market to 23rd St.) from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
• Greenfield & 3rd St. from 7:00 a.m. until around noon.

In downtown Wilmington, road closures will start at 6:00 a.m. Here’s a list of those streets:

• McRae St from Cornelis Harnett Dr to Bladen St
• N 8th St from Bladen St to Hanover St
• Red Cross St between Front St & Water St
• Northbound Nutt St between Red Cross St & Harnett St
• Southbound Front St between Brunswick St & Dawson St (some cross streets remain open with controlled crossing)
• Northbound Front St between Burnett Blvd/Carolina Beach Rd and Dawson St
• Front Street on ramp to Cape Fear Memorial Bridge/westbound Hwy 74/76
• Inside lane of Lakeshore Dr from Willard St to Elm St

Traffic detours will be active throughout the morning and into the early afternoon, so plan your routes accordingly. Enjoy the race!