St. Jude Rock ’n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5K to trigger extensive Washington road closures Saturday

Race weekend schedule and expected traffic impacts

Washington will see widespread traffic restrictions on Saturday, March 21, 2026, as the St. Jude Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series stages a half marathon and 5K on city streets. The event window is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., with the 5K starting at 7:30 a.m. and the half marathon at 8:00 a.m.

The routes are concentrated in the downtown core and along major ceremonial and commuter corridors. Organizers have indicated that road-closure times are subject to change, a standard caveat for large-scale street events that often adjust to field size, security needs, and real-time race conditions.

Start and finish areas and the footprint of closures

Event details place the half marathon start on Constitution Avenue NW near 14th Street NW, with the finish area on Pennsylvania Avenue NW near the U.S. Capitol. The 5K is designed around a loop beginning on Constitution Avenue NW near 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, finishing on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 4th and 6th Streets.

As a result, drivers should anticipate constrained access to and across the National Mall corridor and adjacent streets, particularly from early morning through midday. Separate closure schedules also affect the finish-festival footprint around Pennsylvania Avenue NW and nearby streets.

• Saturday road closures include segments of Constitution Avenue NW, Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and connecting north–south routes in the central business district.
• Additional closures begin earlier for event setup in the finish area, affecting travel near the Capitol complex on Friday night into Saturday evening.

Examples of timed closures on key corridors

Published closure tables for race day list early-morning restrictions on portions of Constitution Avenue NW and 10th Street NW, alongside mid-morning restrictions extending west toward the Lincoln Memorial area and across Arlington Memorial Bridge. Other listed closures include Rock Creek Parkway and Ohio Drive NW during the core race period.

Drivers and residents along the course should plan for access limitations and consider that reopening times can vary by block as the last runners and support vehicles clear.

Transit detours and practical planning for residents and visitors

Public transportation is also expected to be affected. Metrobus detours are scheduled across multiple lines, with some detours beginning as early as 2:30 a.m. Riders using bus service through downtown, Northwest, and Capitol Hill-adjacent corridors should expect temporary stop relocations and route truncations during the event.

For those traveling into the closure zone, Metrorail access is positioned as the most reliable option. Stations serving the race footprint include Federal Triangle and Smithsonian for half-marathon start access and Archives for areas near the finish-festival zone.

Officials typically advise motorists to avoid attempting to cross the course except at controlled points, to allow emergency access and to reduce delays as runners pass through high-traffic intersections.