Mayor Michelle Wu spoke alongside public safety agencies and the Boston Athletic Association at a press conference Tuesday to discuss public safety preparations for the 126th Boston Marathon.
“I’m grateful to be here with leaders who have been spending a lot of time ensuring that this year’s event will be the glorious return that we’ve been hoping for for many years,” Wu said.
In 2020, the event went virtual, and in 2021 it was rescheduled for the fall instead of its traditional Patriot's Day timing.
Wu was joined by Tom Grilk, president and CEO of the Boston Athletic Association; Boston Police Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long; Boston Emergency Medical Services Chief James Hooley; Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey; Chief of Emergency Management Shumeane Benford; and Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge.
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When is the Boston Marathon?
The Boston Marathon is scheduled to be held on Monday, April 18.
For the first time in three years, the 26.2-mile race will be held on Patriots' Day, bringing thousands of athletes back to Massachusetts in the pursuit of athletic excellence.
Last year's race was held in October for the first time after being pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic. The previous edition was held virtually.
There will be 30,000 official participants, including runners from 122 countries and all 50 U.S. states. The event is expected to inject more than $200 million into the Greater Boston economy.
“The Boston Marathon truly represents the onset of our visitor season, which runs from April through October,” Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Martha J. Sheridan said in a statement. “Having the Marathon back on Patriots’ Day is a boon to our city and our region. It is an iconic, international event that puts Boston on a global stage, serving as a spectacular springboard for our visitor economy as we enter our busiest months.”
“After a three-year stretch that saw the Boston Marathon move to a virtual format in 2020, then shift to a fall edition in October 2021, we are delighted to return to our traditional date of Patriots’ Day for the 126th running of the Boston Marathon,” added Grilk. “The B.A.A. looks forward to restoring back to a traditional Boston Marathon weekend, welcoming 30,000 participants, nearly 10,000 volunteers, and countless more supporters to what surely will be an exciting and memorable race day.”
This year, more than 9,800 volunteers will assist athletes on their journey from Hopkinton to Boston. Participants competing and raising funds for various charities and nonprofit programs are anticipated to raise in excess of $30 million.
For the 37th consecutive year, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon is John Hancock.
Weekend Events: BAA 5K, Boston Marathon Expo
The Boston Marathon Expo will be located at the Hynes Convention Center from Friday, April 15, through Sunday, April 17. The Expo is widely regarded as the running industry’s premier expo for new products and features the city’s largest adidas Boston Marathon store. All Boston Marathon participants must claim their bib numbers for this year’s race at the Boston Marathon Expo.
Boston Marathon Fan Fest presented by Amazon also will be held from April 15 through April 17. Boston Marathon Fan Fest is a three-day festival on Copley Square Park featuring live music, activities, Boston Marathon champions panels, photo-ops, and more. It is free and open to the public.
The 2022 B.A.A. 5K will be run on Saturday, April 16, two days prior to the Boston Marathon. The B.A.A. 5K will feature 10,000 entrants racing a 3.1-mile course through Back Bay, starting and finishing at Boston Common. Following the B.A.A. 5K, the B.A.A. Invitational Mile will showcase mile and 1K races for middle school, high school, and professional athletes on Boylston Street. Saturday’s events conclude with the B.A.A. Relay Challenge, a student-athlete focused event featuring more than 20 middle school teams from the Greater Boston community.
What to know about public safety
Local, state and federal agencies are all involved in the planning and coordination of public safety during the marathon. Here are some key points to know.
Officials stressed there are no credible threats to the marathon at this time, but safety and security are at the forefront of planning.
There will be enhanced security checkpoints on Monday from Kenmore Square to the finish line. At these locations the public will be asked to submit to bag checks. If crowds get too heavy at a particular location, checkpoints may temporarily close while police wait for those crowds to thin.
There will be an enhanced police presence throughout the weekend. On Monday specifically, there will be a full department callup, meaning all available personnel will be working. All neighborhoods will still have their usual coverage.
There will be uniformed officers as well as plainclothes officers and detectives among the crowds.
There will be extra patrols throughout the MBTA, officials said Tuesday, noting that after the shooting in a New York City subway car Boston officials are in close contact with their partners in New York.
“There is no evidence credible or otherwise to suggest that the MBTA system is a target," Chief Kenneth Green of the MBTA Transit Police Department said.
Authorities are asking the public to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary and report anything suspicious to police immediately.
“We’ve asked people every year for a long time, we’re asking you to be vigilant," Boston Police Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long said.
Public drinking and publicly smoking marijuana are prohibited.
Boston EMS also has a comprehensive plan to ensure the health and safety of everyone during the weekend's events and on Monday.
Mayor Wu noted that COVID-19 cases have been rising in Boston and suggested taking measures like getting tested before and after attending any events. Wearing masks indoors remains optional but is suggested as one of the best ways to help limit the spread of the virus.
Russian athletes banned
Race organizers announced last week that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to compete in this year's Boston Marathon as a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Runners who had previously been accepted to represent the countries in the 2022 Boston Marathon and currently live in either country will no longer qualify, the Boston Athletic Association said. The prohibition also applies to the 2022 BAA 5K.
Citizens of Russia and Belarus who do not reside in either country will be allowed to compete, but cannot run under either country's flag.
Boston Marathon road closures, parking restrictions
Boston police have announced the following road closures as a result of this year's marathon:
No Stopping April 6 - April 21
- Blagden Street (south side, opposite side of Library) Huntington Avenue to Exeter Street for accessible parking
- Boylston Street (both sides) Exeter Street to Dartmouth Street
- Boylston Street Dartmouth Street (from Dartmouth St to Clarendon St)
- Exeter Street Boylston Street to Blagden Street
No Stopping April 11-21
- Blagden Street Dartmouth Street to BPL Driveway
No Stopping April 13-19
- Exeter Street Alley 441 to Boylston Street
No Stopping April 14-18
- Trinity Place St. James Avenue to Stuart Street
No Stopping Friday, Saturday & Monday - April 15, 16 & 18
- Beacon Street Charles Street to Joy Street
- Boylston Street Dalton Street to Arlington Street, unless otherwise posted
- Clarendon Street Newbury Street to Saint James Avenue
- Dartmouth Street Boylston Street to Commonwealth Avenue
- Exeter Street Newbury Street to Huntington Avenue, No Stopping Thursday to Monday, and east side from Boylston Street to Blagden Street.
No Stopping Saturday to Monday - April 16 -18
- Berkeley Street Stuart Street to Newbury Street
- Boylston Street Arlington Street to Charles Street
- Cambridge Street Court Street to Sudbury Street
- Charles Street Boylston Street to Beacon Street
- Saint James Avenue Arlington Street to Clarendon Street
- Stuart Street Huntington Avenue to Arlington Street
No Stopping Sunday & Monday April 17 & 18
- Clarendon Street Newbury Street to Public Alley 436
- Newbury Street for Media Vehicles from #29 Newbury Street crossing over Berkeley Street to #69 Newbury Street
No Stopping Saturday from 12:01 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. - April 16
- Newbury Street Dartmouth Street to Exeter Street
No Stopping Monday - April 18
- Arlington Street Beacon Street to Stuart Street
- Arlington Street Columbus Avenue to Isabella Street
- Beacon Street, Brighton from Chestnut Hill Avenue to Brookline Town Line
- Beacon Street, Brighton from Bay State Road to Brookline Town Line
- Beacon Street, Back Bay from Charles Street to Arlington Street
- Berkeley Street Columbus Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue, unless otherwise posted
- Belvidere Street Huntington Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue
- Blagden Street Huntington Avenue to Exeter Street, unless otherwise posted
- Boylston Street from Massachusetts Avenue to Dalton Street
- Charles Street from Boylston Street to Beacon Street
- Charles Street South from Park Plaza to Boylston Street
- Chestnut Hill Avenue from Commonwealth Avenue to Beacon Street
- Clarendon Street from Commonwealth Avenue to Columbus Avenue, unless otherwise posted
- Cleveland Circle (Parking area adjacent to Cassidy Playground & parking area adjacent to Sutherland Road) from Beacon Street to Chestnut Hill Avenue, 24 hours
- Columbus Avenue from Arlington Street to Dartmouth Street
- Commonwealth Avenue from Charlesgate West to Deerfield Street (outbound)
- Commonwealth Avenue from Beacon Street (Kenmore Square) to 80 feet east of Hereford Street.
- Commonwealth Avenue from Lake Street to Chestnut Hill Avenue (inbound)
- Congress Street from State Street to Hanover Street
- Dalton Street from Boylston Street to Clearway Street
- Dartmouth Street from Newbury Street to Commonwealth Avenue and Saint James Avenue to Columbus Avenue
- Deerfield Street from Commonwealth Avenue to Bay State Road
- East Dedham Street from Harrison Avenue to Albany Street
- Exeter Street from Commonwealth Avenue to Newbury Street
- Fairfield Street from Boylston Street to Commonwealth Avenue
- Gloucester Street from Commonwealth Avenue to Boylston Street
- Hereford Street from Commonwealth Avenue to Boylston Street
- Hanover Street (both sides) from Congress Street to Commercial Street
- Huntington Avenue from Blagden Street to Massachusetts Avenue
- Kenmore Street from Newbury Street to Beacon Street
- Nassau Street (both sides) from Washington Street to Harrison Avenue
- New Chardon Street from Merrimac Street to Cambridge Street
- Newbury Street from Arlington Street to Brookline Avenue
- Plympton Street from Harrison Avenue to Albany Street
- Providence Street from Arlington Street to Berkeley Street
- Raleigh Street from Bay State Road to Beacon Street
- State Street (both sides) from Congress Street to Washington Street
- Stanhope Street from Berkeley Street to Clarendon Street
- Scotia Street from Dalton Street to St. Cecilia Street
- St. Cecilia Street from Belvidere Street to Boylston Street
- Tremont Street (both sides) from Cambridge Street/Beacon Street to Stuart Street
- Washington Street Both sides, from Oak Street to Nassau Street. Eastside (even side), from Nassau Street to Kneeland Street
- Washington Street (both sides) from Winter Street to State Street
- Winter Street (both sides) from Tremont Street to Washington Street
