Parking and Logistics Outlined for Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race August 4 in Cape Elizabeth

Race Registration and Expo Aug. 2 and 3 at Cape Elizabeth Middle School

CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine - When 4,000 runners and 10,000 spectators arrive at the Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race on Saturday, August 4, they will be greeted by volunteers directing traffic, parking attendants filling up fields and additional police and rescue to assist with the event.

The following is information that spectators and runners may find useful as they prepare for race day:

On race day, Route 77 from Sprague Hall to Kettle Cove Road will close at 6 a.m. All other roads connected to the race course will close at 7:30 a.m. and remain closed until the race is completed around 10 a.m. Shore Road, from Key Bank to Fort Williams and at the Post Office, will reopen at 10:30 a.m.

Runners are required to be at the start line by 7:30 a.m. The race begins on Route 77, near Crescent Beach State Park, and heads into Cape Elizabeth. Runners eventually turn right onto Old Ocean House Road, and later return to Route 77 before turning right onto Shore Road. Runners then enter Fort Williams Park at the first entrance and reach the finish line at the Portland Headlight in the park.

Runner parking near the start line will be provided at the Sprague Fields located at Fowler and Ram Island Farm roads. Parking for runners also is available at Cape Elizabeth High/Middle School on a first-come basis. Runners will be shuttled from the Middle School to the start between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. Carpooling and shuttling is recommended. Race organizers also encourage runners to arrive by 6:30 a.m. to avoid heavy traffic. Roadside parking is not allowed. Also, this year's runner drop-off zone will be at the Spurwink Church parking lot at the intersection of Route 77 and Spurwink Avenue.

There is no parking for runners at the finish line at Fort Williams, which will be restricted parking for media, sponsors, staff and a limited number of spectators, who are advised to carpool and arrive prior to 7:30 a.m. Shuttle buses, which will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be provided to take runners back to the start area and to the school parking lots.

Due to the widening project along the Maine Turnpike (Interstate 95), those traveling from the south may experience significant delays. Travelers are advised to contact the Turnpike Information Network to monitor the situation. Call 1-877-MTA-WIDE or visit its web site at http://www.maineturnpike.com. Motorists may also tune in to the highway advisory radio station (AM 1610) for current travel information once they arrive in Maine.

Also, runner registration preceding the race will take place on August 2 (4-8 p.m.) and on August 3 (noon-8 p.m.) at the Cape Elizabeth Middle School. At registration, runners will receive their bib number and ChampionChip to time and score the race. The event also features an Expo of products and services provided and presented by a variety of vendors.

This is the fourth year for the popular race, which attracts more than 800 volunteers and an extraordinary effort on the part of the town of Cape Elizabeth. Peoples Heritage Bank, the state's largest bank, is the lead sponsor and coordinates the race founded by Joan Benoit Samuelson of Maine, a running legend who won the first Olympic women's marathon. She serves as a spokesperson for the bank's Peoples Promise Program for youths in Maine.

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