After a cancelation in 2020 and a postponement in 2021 - both due to COVID-19 - the Flying Pig Marathon returns this weekend.
The Flying Pig and the accompanying Queen Bee Half-Marathon are two of Cincinnati's biggest annual events, attracting more than 40,000 people over three days. The races normally take place in the spring, but organizers said in February that given the ongoing pandemic, they could not guarantee runners' safety and chose to postpone 2021's event to Oct. 29-31.
That means this weekend will see various road closures throughout Downtown, Mariemont, Fairfax and Northern Kentucky. Metro bus service will be maintained but some delays should be expected.
Here's what will be closed and when:
Thursday, Oct. 28
To allow for setup of the start and finish lines, the following streets will be closed on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 9 a.m:
- Mehring Way between Elm Street and Joe Nuxhall Way (remains closed throughout the weekend)
- Elm Street between Second Street and Freedom Way (reopens at 4 p.m. Thursday)
Friday, Oct. 29
The Fifty West One Mile Sprint takes place Friday beginning at 7 p.m. The following streets will close Friday at 6 p.m., with all streets reopening by 10 p.m:
- W. Pete Rose Way between Gest Street and Central Avenue (closes at 5 p.m.)
- Mehring Way between Joe Nuxhall Way and Gest Street
- Central Avenue between W. Pete Rose Way and Mehring Way
- Elm Street south of Freedom Way
Saturday, Oct. 30
The running of the 10K, 5K, 4-miler and Flying Fur will take place. The following streets will be affected starting at 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
- Mehring Way between Freeman Avenue and E. Pete Rose Way
- Linn Street between Fifth Street and Gest Street
- Gest Street between Third Street and Mehring Way
- Third Street eastbound closed between Gest Street and Clay Wade Bailey Bridge
- Third Street ramp from southbound I-71
- Third Street ramp from westbound Columbia Parkway
- Clay Wade Bailey Bridge (will reopen after the 10K)
- W. Pete Rose Way between Gest Street and Central Avenue
- Central Avenue- closed south of Third Street
- Elm Street south of Freedom Way
- Broadway south of Fourth Street
- E. Pete Rose Way between Johnny Bench Way and Eggleston Avenue
- Johnny Bench Way
- Fourth Street between Broadway and Pike Street (single lane maintained for resident access)
- Pike Street between Third Street and Fourth Street (local access maintained)
- Third Street between Eggleston Avenue and Pike Street (local resident access maintained)
- Culvert Street between Third Street and Reedy Street
- Reedy Street between Broadway and Eggleston Avenue
- Seventh Street between Broadway and Culvert Street
- New Street between Broadway and Culvert Street
- Sentinel Street between Fifth Street and Eggleston Avenue
- Eggleston Avenue-southbound closed between Reedy Street and E. Pete Rose Way
- Taylor Southgate Bridge
- Joe Nuxhall Way south of Second Street
- Ramp LL
Sunday, Oct. 31
The following streets will be closed at 1 a.m. to allow for staging and the start line of the Flying Pig Marathon:
- Mehring Way between Central Avenue and Joe Nuxhall Way
- Elm Street south of Second Street
- Freedom Way between Elm Street and Race Street
The following streets will be closed as needed, starting at 5 a.m. (crossings will be allowed with police or volunteer assistance):
- Second Street all access to Second Street will close
- Joe Nuxhall Way between Mehring Way and Third Street
- Broadway south of Third Street
- Taylor Southgate Bridge
- Clay Wade Bailey Bridge
- Third Street between Gest Street and Central Avenue
- Gest Street northbound between Mehring Way and Linn Street
- Seventh Street between Central Avenue and Gilbert Avenue (vehicles from the garage at Seventh and Broadway will be permitted to exit at Seventh Street and continue across Broadway to E. Seventh St)
- Seventh Street exit from SB I-75
- Central Avenue between Seventh Street and Sixth Street
- Plum Street between Eighth Street and Seventh Street
- Elm Street between Sixth Street and Seventh Street
- Race Street between Garfield Place and Seventh Street
- Vine Street between Sixth Street and Seventh Street
- Walnut Street between Eighth Street and Seventh Street
- Main Street between Sixth Street and Seventh Street
- Sycamore Street between Eighth Street and Seventh Street
- Broadway between Sixth Street and Seventh Street
- Gilbert Avenue northbound between Seventh Street and MLK Drive
- Gilbert Avenue between Elsinore Place and Eden Park Drive
- Eden Park Drive between Gilbert Avenue and Victory Parkway
- Fulton Avenue between Nassau Street and Eden Park Drive
- Art Museum Drive between Ida Street and Eden Park Drive
- Lake Drive
- Victory Parkway northbound between Eden Park Drive and McMillan Avenue
- McMillan Avenue between Victory Parkway and Woodburn Avenue
- Woodburn Avenue between McMillan Avenue and Madison Road
- Madison Road eastbound between Woodburn Avenue and Erie Avenue
- Erie Avenue eastbound between Madison Road and Bramble Avenue
- Murray Avenue eastbound between Erie Avenue and LaCrosse Avenue
- Bramble Avenue eastbound between Erie Avenue and Settle Avenue
The race proceeds into Mariemont and Fairfax, then returns on westbound US-50/Columbia Parkway:
- US-50/Columbia Parkway single westbound curb lane closed between the Cincinnati Corporation Line and Eastern Avenue off ramp (westbound US-50 ramp to Eastern Avenue is closed)
- Ramp from Red Bank Road to Westbound Columbia Parkway
- Eastern Avenue westbound between Columbia Parkway and Stanley Avenue
- Stanley Avenue southbound between Eastern Avenue and Kellogg Avenue
- Kellogg Avenue westbound between Stanley Avenue and Worth Street
- Riverside Drive eastbound between E. Pete Rose Way and Worth Street
- E. Pete Rose Way eastbound between Johnny Bench Way and Riverside Drive (may open earlier for garage access)
- Mehring Way between Central Avenue and E Pete Rose Way
The half marathon will follow the same course out but will turn back at Woodburn Avenue and Madison Road. The following streets will be closed as needed:
- Madison Road eastbound between Victory Parkway and Woodburn Avenue
- M.L. King eastbound between Gilbert Avenue and Victory Parkway
- Gilbert Avenue northbound between Eden Park Drive and ML King
- Sinton Avenue between Gilbert Avenue and Nassau Street
- Nassau Street between Sinton Avenue and Gilbert Avenue
- Morris Street between Deerfield Place and Gilbert Avenue
- Deerfield Place closed to through traffic between Gilbert Avenue and Morris Street
- Elsinore Place closed between Reading Road and Gilbert Avenue
- Reading Road northbound between Central Parkway and Elsinore Place
- Central Parkway between Eggleston Avenue and Vine Street
- Eggleston Avenue southbound between Central Parkway and E Pete Rose Way
- Eggleston Avenue northbound between Third Street and Broadway