Dexter-Ann Arbor Run Road Closure Guide: 7:45 AM - noon

Road Closure Goals

Road closures are a necessary part of planning large public road races. Careful planning occurs every year to make sure that:

The race is conducted in a safe and responsible manner;
The disruption to local vehicle traffic is minimized;
Residents are notified prior to the race of the required road closures.

Race Planning

Planning for the road closures for the Dexter-Ann Arbor run begins months before the race every year. The race director coordinates with local law enforcement officials including the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department and the Ann Arbor Police. Special considerations are also taken by the Dexter Fire Department since the course travels directly in front of their station, and they must move vehicles before the race starts in case a fire occurs during the race.

Road Closure Support

The Sheriff’s Dept. covers the course as it passes through Dexter, Scio Township, and Ann Arbor Township. The Ann Arbor Police cover the areas in Ann Arbor. We use a combination of law enforcement professionals and volunteer course marshals to cover the entire course. The pros cover all of the major intersections and the volunteers cover the residential intersections. A total of 15 Sheriff’s deputies and Police officers and at least 30 course marshals are involved, for a total of nearly 50 people who are involved in securing the course.

Road Closure Areas & Times

Road closures associated with the race occur in these main areas:

8:30 – 9:30 AM: the Village of Dexter;
9:00 – 11:20 AM: along Huron River Drive;
8:00 – noon: Maple Road between Huron River Drive and Craig;

(Specific times for each closure zone are listed on the map on this page.)

Huron River Drive “Trapped Neighborhood” Closure Guide

A couple of neighborhoods along Huron River Drive are completely shut in due to the road closures. This is an unfortunate aspect of the local road system. We recommend that you plan a head if you need to travel during the time of the race, and leave early before the closures start, or park your car somewhere in an unaffected area that you can walk to. Race planners work with Huron Valley Ambulance and local fire fighters to make sure that they are familiar with the race course and the road closures so that they can make it to any neighborhood if required.

The Washtenaw Country Sheriff’s deputies who help with the event make every effort to minimize the disruption to these affected residents. Huron River Drive is closed in sections based on when runners are present and left open as much as possible otherwise. The primary affected areas are:

8:50 – 9:40 AM The Pineview Neighborhood Area is shut off.
9:25 – 10:25 AM The River Pines and Timberwood neighborhoods (& near Tubbs)
8 – 11 AM Residents who live on Huron River Drive (mainly in the Warrington area)
8 – 11:30 AM Laurendale Court neighborhood

Unfortunately the further downstream on HRDr. you live, the longer the duration of the closures. Based on having faster and slower runners, this is simply the way races work. Maple Road is also being heavily used for all 3 races, so that will also experience fairly long closures. We recommend that you try to enjoy the race! Come out along the course and cheer on the runners, help at an aid station, or offer a “garden hose shower” to runners on hot days.

Maple Road “Trapped Neighborhood” Guide

Traffic on both lanes will be closed between 8 AM and 11:30. All of the affected houses here (17 in total) are encouraged to move a car to a nearby side street in the area that does not involve having to physically cross the road during the race. Even on foot, that may not be possible depending on the amount of runners moving up Maple. People may be able to cross the street during lulls in the race. Please be careful and be courteous to the runners when doing so. Even the ones at the back of the pack are working hard to get the finish line in one piece as fast as they can.

Click the map below for a full size, printable version in PDF format.