Secret City Half Marathon and 5K in Oak Ridge on Saturday

Oak Ridge main roads to be affected

The Secret City Half Marathon and 5K is in Oak Ridge on Saturday, November 16, and several main roads and intersections will be affected by the race in the morning.

Explore Oak Ridge and the City of Oak Ridge expect more than 1,000 runners and walkers on the city’s streets and greenways as they participate in these family-friendly races, a press release said. See below for the race routes and also visit the SCHM website at www.SecretCityHalfMarathon.com for a map of both routes.

Motorists should also be aware of the early morning course preparations, the press release said. While the races start at 9 a.m. Saturday, there will be volunteers setting out cones along the course as early as 6 a.m. The Oak Ridge Police Department, along with Anderson County deputies, will be out directing and stopping traffic where and when needed, the press release said. While no roads will be shut down due to the race traffic, motorists should expect some minor delays due to runners crossing streets on Melton Lake Drive and Emory Valley Road. Motorists are asked to drive slowly in these areas and be mindful of the race participants, the release said.

The half marathon and 5K both start and finish at the Melton Lake Peninsula.  The half marathon route (13.1 miles) is as follows:

• South from the peninsula onto Melton Lake Drive, turning right onto Union Valley Road, then right onto Illinois Avenue.
• Illinois Avenue merging right onto Lafayette Drive, then right onto Emory Valley Road.
• Emory Valley Road turning right onto Briarcliff Avenue, then left onto South Columbia Avenue.
• South Columbia turning left back onto Emory Valley Road, then right onto Briarcliff Avenue.
• Briarcliff Avenue merging right onto Laboratory Road, then merging right onto Oak Ridge Turnpike.
• Oak Ridge Turnpike turning right onto Fairbanks Road, then left onto Warehouse Road.
• Warehouse Road turning right onto Melton Lake Drive, then left back onto the Melton Lake peninsula.

The 5K route (3.1 miles) is as follows:

• North from the peninsula onto Melton Lake Drive, turning right onto Oak Ridge Turnpike.
• Immediate right into Elza Gate Park then back down Melton Lake Drive greenway.

Online registration and race information for both races can be found by visiting www.SecretCityHalfMarathon.com. Organizers invite you to come out and cheer on the runners and walkers along the race routes.