Yangon’s typically god-awful traffic might (likely will?) get a whole lot worse on Sunday thanks to temporary road closures taking place from 3am-11:30am for the seventh annual Yoma Yangon International Marathon (YYIM).
Sections of Yangon’s roads will be sealed off to traffic on a coordinated basis, YYIM project associate Ma Yun told Coconuts Yangon.
“We’ve worked together with authorities to ensure that the temporary road closures are in sync with the run itself. Some roads will be closed for 30 minutes but nothing more; authorities will open and close roads depending on the number of runners,” she said.
On the event page for YYIM, organizers included a handy infographic where you can get water, showing the routes for the marathon, and the routes that will be temporarily closed.
https://www.facebook.com/YomaYangonInternationalMarathon/posts/2010437512337301
The following roads will be temporarily closed at the following times:
- Waizayandar and Lay Dankkan Junction to Thanthumar Junction (2am to 12:30pm)
- Yar Za Di Yit to Old Strand Road (4:30am to 9am)
- Old Strand Road to Kyeemyindaing Kanner Road (4:30am to 9am)
- Shwe Dagon Pagoda Road to U Htaung Bo Road (4:30am to 9am)
- Ba Nyar Dala Road to Kyaikka San Road (4:30am to 10:30am)
- Set Yone Road to Ba Nyar Dala Road (4:30am to 10:30am)
- Baho Road to Say War Street (4:30am to 11am)
- Aung Theikdi Road to Min Dhama Road (4:30am to 11am)
- Thitsar Road (Kanbe) to Moe Kaung Road (4:30am to 11am)
Some 8,000 runners are scheduled to compete across four events: the full marathon (42km), half marathon (21km), 10km challenge and the 3km fun run/walk.
Although the full marathon snakes its way around Yangon, Ma Yun is positive that the effect on traffic will be limited.
“The event is from 3am to 12:30 on Sunday morning, so there shouldn’t be that much traffic. However, when runners pass by and traffic police stop cars, you have to wait for 15 minutes at most,” she added.
You know what? We’re just gonna stay off the roads to be safe.
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