On Monday, a spring tradition more than a century old will captivate the region as thousands of runners from all over the world hit the pavement for the 128th Boston Marathon.
And there will be crowds of supporters along the 26-mile route cheering the runners on.
A long stretch of the marathon runs through Newton. Roads will be closed, and with the weather forecast promising a beautiful day with temperatures approaching 70 degrees, it’s going to be exciting and maybe a little chaotic.
Here are five things to know if you’re planning to attend the marathon in Newton:
1. When and where
The Boston Marathon starts in Hopkinton, with the first participants (wheelchair users) taking off at 9 a.m. Other groups start between then and 11 a.m. Then the marathon heads through Ashland, Framingham, Natick and Wellesley before reaching Newton at the 16th mile.
Typically, runners reach Newton at just after 10 a.m..
Newton’s portion of the marathon runs from just about the 16th mile marker to right after the 21st mile marker and stretches from Washington Street at the Wellesley line to Auburn Street and then Commonwealth Avenue the rest of the way into Brookline.
If you’re taking the T to the race route, you’ll want to take the Green Line to either the Woodland stop near the 17th mile marker or the Boston College stop near the 21st mile marker and the Heartbreak Hill area.
2. Road closures
Roads near the marathon route will be closed off to traffic starting the night before.
Here’s a rundown of parking restrictions throughout the day Monday.
No parking, now through Monday at 7 p.m.:
- Commonwealth Avenue Carriage Lane, from Washington Street to the Boston line
No parking, Monday 12 a.m. until 7 p.m.:
- Washington Street from the Wellesley line to Auburn Street
- Commonwealth Avenue from Auburn Street to the Boston line
- All feeder streets along route within 60 feet of the route and on the fire hydrant side of the street
- Beacon Street from Washington Street to Dorset Road
- Beacon Street Extension (North of Washington Street)
- Centre Street From Homer Street to Ward Street
- Chestnut Street from Beacon Street to Highland Street
- College Road from Beacon Street to Commonwealth Avenue
- Concord Street from Hagar to Washington Street
- Dorset Road from 1947 Beacon St. to 215 Dorset Road
- Evelyn Road From 192 Evelyn Road to Fuller Street and From Paulson Road to MaryEllen Road
- Evelyn Road from Beacon Street to Paulson Road (Odd Side)
- Fuller Street from Day Street to Evelyn Road
- Grant Ave from Montvale Road to Ward Street
- Grove Street from Washington Street to Woodland Road
- Hammond Street from Ward to Beacon Street
- Homer Street from Commonwealth Ave to Centre Street
- Lowell Avenue from Commonwealth Ave to Hull Street
- Maple Street from Woodland Rd to Auburn Street
- Old Colony Road from Priscilla to Commonwealth Avenue
- Quinobequin Road from I-95 Southbound ramp to Washington Street
- Walnut Street from Homer Street to Mill Street
- Ward Street from Centre Street to Manet Road
- Woodland Road from Grove Street to Washington Street
Roads closed Monday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.:
- Washington Street from the Wellesley line to Auburn Street
- Commonwealth Avenue from Auburn Street to the Boston line
- Commonwealth Avenue Carriage Lane from Washington Street to the Boston line
- All feeder streets along race route 60 feet back from the route
- Beacon Street from Washington Street to Dorset Road
- Beacon Street Extension (North of Washington Stret)
- Beacon Street From Hammond Street to Boston line (residents only)
- Centre Street from Homer Street to Ward Street
- Chestnut Street from Beacon Street to Highland Street (residents only)
- College Road from Beacon Street to Commonwealth Avenue
- Concord Street from Hagar to Washington Street
- Evelyn Road from 192 Evelyn Road to Fuller Street
- Fuller Street from Day Street to Evelyn Road (residents only)
- Grant Avenue from Beacon Street to Ward Street (residents only)
- Grove Street from Washington to Moulton Street
- Hammond Street from Ward to Hammondswood Road
- Helene Road/Cotter Road from Paulson to Fuller Street
- Homer Street from Commonwealth Ave to Centre Street
- Lowell Avenue from Commonwealth Avenue to Hull Street (residents only)
- Old Colony Road from Priscilla to Commonwealth Avenue
- Quinobequin Road from I-95 Southbound ramp to Washington Street
- Walnut Street from Homer Street to Mill Street (residents only)
- Ward Street from Hammond to Manet (residents only)
- Woodland Road from Cheswick Road to Washington Street
One-way streets Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Maple Street from Woodland Road to Central Street
- Evelyn Road from 118 Evelyn Road to 180 Evelyn Road
- MaryEllen Road from 180 Evelyn Road to 110 Evelyn Road
The city has an interactive map on its website showing which roads are closed and during which hours they’re closed.
3. Police on alert
Many still have the images of Marathon Monday 2013 in our minds, when terrorists detonated bombs near the finish line, killing three people and injuring many others.
Safety precautions have greatly increased along the marathon route since then. Police have announced that all bags, coolers and baby carriages will be subject to a police search, and anyone who sees a suspicious bag or package should call the Newton Police Department at 617-796-2100 or dial 911 immediately.
The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting flyover surveillance runs leading up to Monday, to make sure everything is secure.
Also, there are no grills or alcoholic beverages allowed along the marathon route.
4. The runners
The marathon attracts tens of thousands of runners every year from all over the world. And hundreds of them are from Newton.
There are way too many Newton residents running in the Boston Marathon to list them all. But you can find a complete list on the marathon website.
And the city has compiled a list of 45 Newtonians running for Team Newton, raising money for causes connected to the city.
5. Follow along
If you can’t make it to the marathon in person but want to follow along and check on specific runners, you can download the Boston Athletics Association’s Racing App.
The app lets you track runners live and has course maps, social media integration and lots of information about the race.
You can also watch the marathon live on TV and get updates on social media.