HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Hopkinsville motorists will need to plan for extra travel time on Saturday morning on some of the city’s major roads as around 300 runners take to city streets for the seventh Annual Hoptown Half Marathon and 5K.
Both the half marathon (13.1 miles) and the 5K (3.1 miles) race will begin in the Justice Center parking
lot, in front of the Justice Center. The 5K will start 20 minutes after the half marathon, allowing the half marathon runners to move in front and minimize the larger packs of runners together. Runners have been instructed to run on the right-hand side of the roads and will be accompanied by law enforcement in lead and trail vehicles.
Traffic impact, route for runners
The course for both the half marathon and the 5K event takes runners from downtown to the Hopkinsville Greenway Rail Trail, and back to the downtown finish line. The race finish line is the same location as the start line, in the parking lot of the Justice Center.
Several streets will only allow one-way traffic during the race period. Race officials and local law enforcement have worked together on plans to minimize traffic inconveniences and maximize traffic flow. Streets impacted on Saturday are as follows.
Half marathon route streets 8 a.m. start.
- Justice Center Parking lot (Start Line)
- Main Street (from 9th – Alumni Avenue)
- Alumni Avenue (from South Main Street – Latham Avenue)
- Latham Avenue (from Alumni – Cox Mill)
- Cox Mill Road (from Alumni Avenue to Gary Lane)
- Gary Lane (from Cox Mill to Lafayette)
- Lafayette Road (from Gary Lane to Hopkinsville Bypass)
- Hopkinsville Bypass (from Lafayette Road– Foston Chapel Road)
- Foston Chapel (from Hopkinsville Bypass – Rail Trail)
5K route streets 8:20 start.
- Justice Center (starting line)
- Sterling Drive (from Cox Mill – Faulkner Drive)
- Faulkner Drive (from Sterling – Rail Trail)
- Phelps Avenue (from 15th – 16th)
- 16th Street (from Phelps – Cherry)
- Cherry Street (from 16th – 15th)
- 15th Street (Greenway to Canton Street)
- Bethel Street (Canton to Ninth Street)
The half marathon runners have until 12 p.m. to finish their course.
Local law enforcement agencies will be accompanying the lead runners for traffic clearance and a “grim
sweeper” will be trailing the last runners. Traffic control officers and other race volunteers will be
manning intersections to stop traffic as runners cross the intersections. Motorists are asked to exercise
patience for the safety of everyone.
| DOWNLOAD THE APP: Sign up for our free Christian County Now app