The TCS New York City Marathon 2026 runs on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and it shuts down streets in all five boroughs. If you live in New York, drive through it, or plan to watch the race, this guide pulls the closure picture together in one place: the race-day schedule, the bridge shutdowns, the no-parking zones, the new Bronx route for 2026, and how to actually get around.
One timing note first: the clocks fall back at 2:00 am on Sunday, November 1 — the same morning as the race. Race day runs on the new standard time, so double-check any schedule you saved before the change.
Race-day schedule
The race starts on Staten Island and finishes in Central Park, on West Drive at West 67th Street. The professional wheelchair division starts at 8:00 am, and the first runner wave goes off at 9:10 am. The course is 26.2 miles through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan.
Closures do not all lift at once. They reopen on a rolling basis through the day, and the last scheduled reopenings — Central Park West and 1st Avenue — are at 10:30 pm. Closures can also change without notice at NYPD discretion, so treat every time below as the published plan, not a guarantee.
The bridge shutdowns that matter most
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge: the upper level is closed in both directions from 11:00 pm on Saturday, October 31 until 4:00 pm on Sunday. The lower level closes from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Runners using private transport must reach the Staten Island start before the 7:00 am cutoff — there is no parking at the start, and drop-off is outside Fort Wadsworth.
Willis Avenue Bridge and Madison Avenue Bridge: closed 7:30 am to 6:30 pm on Sunday. These carry the new Bronx section of the course (see below).
Queensboro Bridge: the lower level is closed in both directions from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm, and the upper level is closed to trucks in the same window.
Pulaski Bridge: closed on race day.
The 2026 Bronx route change
2026 brings the first course change since 2011, entirely in the Bronx. After the Willis Avenue Bridge, runners now go up Alexander Avenue to East 141st Street, then Third Avenue, then East 138th Street to the Madison Avenue Bridge — instead of the old East 138th Street loop. The change is meant to reduce closures for Mott Haven residents. The Bronx closure segments — East 135th, Alexander Avenue, East 141st, Third Avenue and East 138th — run from 7:00 am to 8:30 pm.
Manhattan closures
Central Park West (Columbus Circle to 81st Street): 12:00 am to 10:30 pm. 5th Avenue (120th to 90th Street): 9:00 am to 7:30 pm. 1st Avenue (59th Street to the Willis Avenue Bridge): 7:00 am to 10:30 pm.
Inside Central Park, the drives cannot be crossed on race day — use the underpasses. The 65th and 79th Street transverses are closed most of the day, and the 96th Street transverse closes at 9:00 am. If you need to cross the park, plan around the underpasses, not the drives.
Brooklyn and Queens closures
In Brooklyn, 4th Avenue (94th Street to Flatbush Avenue) is closed 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (from the bridge to 79th Street) is closed 7:00 am to 6:30 pm. In Queens, the Queensboro Bridge restrictions above are the main disruption, with surrounding approach streets closed through the afternoon.
Saturday, October 31: the 5K closures
The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K runs on Saturday, October 31, and it closes Midtown streets that morning: 42nd Street westbound from 8:00 to 10:00 am, 6th Avenue (42nd to 59th Street) from 8:00 to 10:15 am, and Central Park South from 8:00 to 10:30 am. Park drives are closed across the Saturday–Sunday weekend.
No-parking zones
No-parking rules apply across Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1 on the course streets, including 1st Avenue (58th to 125th Street), Central Park West (60th to 66th and 74th to 96th Street) and 5th Avenue (86th to 96th Street). If your car is parked on a course street, move it before Saturday — towed cars and race day do not mix.
How to get around on race day
Use transit. That is the consistent advice from the race organizers and the city: subway and bus service is rerouted around the course, but it moves, while driving across the course mostly does not. Check mta.info on the day for the latest service changes.
Do not try to cross the course by car. There is no reliable driving route across the marathon route during race hours — every bridge and avenue crossing listed above is closed for hours at a time. If you must drive, plan to stay on one side of the course all day.
Spectators: pick one viewing spot and stay there rather than chasing a runner between boroughs. Central Park near the finish, 1st Avenue in Manhattan, and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn are the classic viewing stretches — all reachable by subway.
FAQ
When is the NYC Marathon 2026? Sunday, November 1, 2026. The wheelchair division starts at 8:00 am and the first runner wave at 9:10 am.
Is the Verrazzano Bridge closed for the marathon? Yes. The upper level is closed both directions from 11:00 pm Saturday to 4:00 pm Sunday; the lower level from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm Sunday.
What is new about the 2026 route? The Bronx section changed for the first time since 2011: after the Willis Avenue Bridge, runners use Alexander Avenue, East 141st Street, Third Avenue and East 138th Street to the Madison Avenue Bridge.
When do roads reopen? On a rolling basis through Sunday, with the last scheduled reopenings (Central Park West and 1st Avenue) at 10:30 pm. Closures can change at NYPD discretion.
Can I drive across the course on race day? Not reliably. Use transit, and if you must drive, stay on one side of the course.
Sources
- https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/activities/road-and-street-closures-for-the-nyc-marathon/
- https://secretnyc.co/2026-tcs-nyc-marathon-new-route-map/
- https://www.manhattansc.org/news/nyc-marathon-road-closures-travel-tips-for-msc-families/
- https://blog.spothero.com/nyc-marathon-parking