The 2017 Little Debbie IRONMAN Chattanooga triathlon is coming to Chattanooga this weekend, and with it comes heavy traffic and street closures.
The race starts early Sunday with the swim portion at 7:20 a.m., and athletes will be transitioning to the bike race from about 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Traffic will be stopped from crossing the cyclists' lane when they are present between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Riverfront Parkway, West 20th Street, Broad Street, Market Street and Alton Park Boulevard. Runners will be on the Tennessee Riverwalk, Amnicola Highway, the Veterans Bridge, Barton Avenue, Hixson Pike and Riverview Road between 12:25 p.m. and 12 a.m.
The Tennessee River will be closed to recreational watercraft between Ross's Landing and the Chickamauga Dam from 5 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
View Our Ironman 2017 Coverage
Riverside Drive/Riverfront Parkway between Aquarium Way and Molly Street, Chestnut Street between Aquarium Way and Riverfront Parkway, and the southbound Veterans Bridge ramp to Riverside Drive will be closed from 9 a.m. today until 8 p.m. Monday.
The right eastbound lane of Riverfront Parkway between Molly Lane and Market Street, the right southbound lane of Market Street between West 20th Street and West 40th Street, West 40th Street between Alton Park Boulevard and Tennessee Avenue, and the Interstate 24 on-ramp and southbound off-ramp at Market Street will be closed and all streets crossing this route will be controlled by local officers.
The intersections of St. Elmo Avenue and Virginia Avenue at West 45th Street will be four-way stops from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday for the bike portion of the race. Cyclists will also be on Tennessee Avenue and St. Elmo Avenue to the state line, riding with traffic.
The right eastbound lane of Frazier Avenue between Forest Avenue and the Veterans Bridge, the right northbound lane of Barton Avenue between Frazier Avenue and Riverview Road, the right northbound lane of the Veterans Bridge between East Third Street and Barton Avenue, the right westbound lane of Amnicola Highway between Old Curtain Pole Road and Lindsay Street, Riverside Drive between Lindsay Street and Molly Lane, the Battery Place off-ramp from Riverside Drive, and Aquarium Way between Riverside Drive and Walnut Street will be closed. All streets crossing this route will be controlled by Chattanooga police officers to give right of way to the runners from 12:25 p.m. on Sunday until 12 a.m. Monday for the run portion.