Road closures for Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20

On Monday, April 20 — Patriots Day — key north-south traffic routes across Newton will be fully closed no later than 8AM across the five miles of the Boston Marathon course that run through the city. In practice that means that closures will often be in place 15 to 30 minutes or more before that time in order for City personnel to put barriers in place on all the Newton intersections involved. Plan your Monday travel accordingly.

The closures will be in place from Lower Falls along Washington Street/Route 16 and then turning onto Commonwealth Avenue at the fire house, and on to Boston College, separating the north and south sides of the city. Note that Newton-Wellesley Hospital, while directly on the Marathon course, will be accessible from the rear of the property (see directions to the hospital below).

See the following 2026 information was issued by the Newton Police Department:

NEWTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
2026 BOSTON MARATHON

PUBLIC INFORMATION NOTICE

On Monday April 20th, the running of the Boston Marathon will take place once again. Participants will be running through Newton, entering from Wellesley on Washington Street heading east, then traveling onto Commonwealth Ave, heading east to the Boston line.

Please be advised that road closures along the route will be in place starting at 8:00 AM and be in place until approximately 6:00 PM. Expect traffic delays as no vehicles will be allowed to cross the Marathon Route or access the Carriage Lane of Commonwealth Ave until the route is reopened.

Parking Restrictions and tow-zones will be in place along the entire Marathon Route including the Carriage Lane of Commonwealth Ave as well as several streets around the course route. Parking restrictions will also be in place on portions of all streets that feed into the Marathon route.

All affected streets will be posted with No Parking- Tow Zones signs.

For the safety and convenience of residents, spectators and runners, all bags, backpacks, coolers and baby carriages/strollers are subject to be searched by Police.  There is no alcohol or grills allowed on public property along the course route.

In the week prior to the Marathon there will be Low Flying Aircraft(s) along the entire Marathon route conducting Surveillance / Safety checks that have been authorized by the F.A.A.

The Newton Police Department in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety, US Department of Homeland Security, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Athletic Association are asking for the public’s help prior to and on Marathon Day by reporting suspicious activity and persons.

Throughout the entire marathon route, cities and towns are participating in a public relations campaign called:

“SEE SOMETHING – SAY SOMETHING”

If anyone in the public sees suspicious activity or a suspicious bag or package, please call the Newton Police at 617-796-2100 or dial 9-1-1 immediately.

Pedestrian traffic between North and South

There is no designated area for pedestrian crossing. Planning ahead is the best advice. There is access to public transportation on both sides of the race route.

Pedestrians can use the D-Riverside branch of the Green Line to move between Riverside on the north and other stations on the south side of the Marathon route.

BAA spectator guidelines specifically state that: “Spectators are not allowed to enter the course, run alongside athletes, or impede athletes in any manner. Any person on the course without an official race bib or accreditation will be directed to leave the course immediately.” Spectators encroaching on the course in 2023 led to complaints by the BAA and a series of escalating responses by the Newton Police into the afternoon that led to controversy and a lawsuit against the city.

Vehicular traffic between North and South

Closures on major north-south streets — such as Walnut, Chestnut, Centre, and Grant — will be set back significantly from the course to allow for proper detours. These closures can disrupt GPS routes used by ride-hailing services, contractors, as well as out-of-town friends coming to visit to watch the race.

The only roads that cross over or under the course in the Newton area are I-95 and Route 9. Further into Boston, Route 90 passes under the course near Fenway Park.

Vehicles traveling from NORTH side of the city to the SOUTH:

• Take either Commonwealth Avenue (west of the fire house) or the Mass. Pike (I-90) to I-95 South. Then take Route 9 East.

Vehicles traveling from SOUTH side of the city to the NORTH:

• Take Route 9 West, then I-95 North, and then either take the Mass. Pike (I-90) East and exit at Newton Corner or take Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30) east.

The wheelchair racers will arrive at Mile 21 (Heartbreak Hill) around 10:06AM, with the lead men and women arriving around 11:16AM and 11:40AM respectively. Follow along with the BAA race app.

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Road Closures: 8AM-7PM

Race Route closed:

• Washington St: Wellesley Line to Auburn St
• Commonwealth Ave: Auburn St to the Boston Line
• Commonwealth Ave Carriage Lane: Washington St to the Boston Line
• All Feeder Streets Along Race Route: Within 60 feet of the Marathon Route

Other Roads closed:

• Beacon St: Washington St to Dorset Rd
• Beacon St Extension (North of Washington St)
• Centre St: Homer St to Ward St
• College Rd: Beacon St to Commonwealth Ave
• Concord St: Hagar to Washington St
• Evelyn Rd: 192 Evelyn Rd to Fuller St
• Grove St: Washington to Moulton St
• Hammond St: Ward to Hammondswood Rd
• Helene Rd/ Cotter Rd: Paulson to Fuller
• Homer St: Commonwealth Ave to Centre St
• Old Colony Rd: Priscilla to Commonwealth Ave
• Quinobequin Rd: I 95 Southbound ramp to Washington St
• Woodland Rd: Cheswick Rd to Washington St

Open to Residents Only:

• Beacon St: Hammond St to Boston Line (Residents Only)
• Chestnut St: Beacon St to Highland St (Residents Only)
• Fuller St: Day St to Evelyn Rd (Residents Only)
• Grant Ave: Beacon St to Ward St (Residents Only)
• Lowell Ave: Commonwealth Ave to Hull St (Residents Only)
• Walnut St: Homer St to Mill St (Residents Only)
• Ward St: Hammond to Manet (Residents Only)

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No Parking — Tow Zone: 12AM – 7PM

• Washington St: Wellesley Line to Auburn St
• Commonwealth Ave: Auburn St to the Boston Line
• All Feeder Streets Along Race Route:
  • Within 60 feet of the Marathon Route
  • On the Fire Hydrant side of the Street
• Algonquin Rd: Even side
• Beacon St: Washington St to Dorset Rd
• Beacon St Extension: North of Washington St
• Centre St: Homer St to Ward St
• Chestnut St: Beacon St to Highland St
• College Rd: Beacon St to Commonwealth Ave
• Commonwealth Ave Carriage Lane
• Concord St: Hagar to Washington St
• Dorset Rd: 1947 Beacon St to 215 Dorset Rd
• Evelyn Rd:
  • 192 Evelyn Rd to Fuller St
  • Paulson Rd to MaryEllen Rd
  • Beacon St to Paulson Rd (Odd Side)
• Fuller St: Day St to Evelyn Rd
• Grant Ave: Montvale Rd to Ward St
• Grove St: Washington St to Woodland Rd
• Hammond St: Ward to Beacon St
• Homer St: Commonwealth Ave to Centre St
• Lowell Ave: Commonwealth Ave to Hull St
• Maple St: Woodland Rd to Auburn St
• Old Colony Rd: Priscilla to Commonwealth Ave
• Quinobequin Rd: I 95 Southbound ramp to Washington St
• Waban Hill Rd: Even side
• Walnut St: Homer St to Mill St
• Ward St: Centre St to Manet Rd
• Woodchester Dr: Even side Algonquin Rd-Woodlawn Dr
• Woodland Rd: Grove St to Washington St

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Directions to Newton-Wellesley Hospital

Newton-Wellesley Hospital is on the Marathon route, so its front entrances will be inaccessible. The Newton Police Department provided these directions to the back entrance of Newton-Wellesley Hospital via Dorset Road:

• From Route 128 take Route 9 East
• Immediately after merging onto Route 9 East, take the first road bearing to the right.
• Take the second left under Route 9 onto Chestnut Street
• Follow Chestnut Street to Beacon Street
• Turn left onto Beacon Street
• Take the second Dorset Road entrance on the right.
  (If you take the first entrance by mistake, follow it around until you come to the Hospital entrance on your right).
• Follow Dorset Road for approximately a half a mile.
• The entrance to the Hospital is a dirt road on your left.

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Ed. Note: Emily Craven will be running the marathon for the second year in a row to raise funds to support the Fig City News summer internship program.