The Milwaukee Marathon is set for April 11 and 12, with the race starting early Saturday morning in the Third Ward at 7 a.m. The route will run up to Glendale and finish in Bay View, setting up a weekend of traffic changes and parking restrictions along the course.
The city of Milwaukee Department of Public Works has posted a list of streets it says will be closed to traffic, and on Newberry Street in Riverwest, no parking is allowed from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. A notice attached to cars there warns drivers that leaving a vehicle in place could bring a $150 fine and towing, while local parking garages remain available for people trying to reach the course.
For runners, the day is about getting to the line on time. Jesus said he was excited to get together with the crew, and marathon organizers are advising people to arrive early if they plan to drive and need to find a spot. That matters because the race’s start in the Third Ward will ripple far beyond the opening miles, reaching neighborhoods where residents are being told to check for signs before they park.
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Those disruptions are already shaping plans for people living near the route. Marquayla Ellison said she was either going to take a Lyft or take a city bus, and she added that cheering from the sidelines gives runners an extra push. Marc said he saw a notice on his car that morning and understood it as a warning that the street would be cleared, though he said he was hoping to park on the side.
The marathon is not just a race day event for participants; it is a test of how well the city and the people living along the course can adjust to the same stretch of streets being used in two different ways at once.
