TEMPE

2015 Pat's Run: Road closures, schedule and more

Bob Young
The Republic | azcentral.com
Runners start at Pat's Run in Tempe on Saturday, April 26, 2014.

Thousands of runners, walkers and spectators will pour into the area around Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday for the 11th Pat's Run, and Tempe officials are advising all to use public transportation wherever possible.

The first of 28 waves of runners will go off at 7:05 a.m. Saturday.

Sgt. Tim Bulson, who oversees special events for the Tempe Police Department, recommends that participants use Valley Metro Light Rail or other transit to reach the venue to avoid heavy traffic and road closures.

"Likewise, we want to caution people coming to downtown Tempe who are not running also to avoid Scottsdale Road between 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.," Bulson said. "We expect 30,000 to 35,000 runners and walkers, and there will be other people coming as spectators."

Pat's Run honors former Arizona State and Cardinals defensive standout Pat Tillman, who was killed by friendly fire while serving with the elite Army Rangers in Afghanistan.

It is among the largest timed running events in the U.S., based on the number of official finishers, ranking 15th in 2013, according to runningusa.org. Rankings for 2014, when Pat's Run took place less than a week after the Boston Marathon bombings and generated even more interest, were not yet available.

For motorists who wish to get around the event, Tempe officials recommend using University Drive, McDowell Road, Priest Drive or McClintock Drive.

"Our main congestion issues are always Scottsdale Road and the 202 on and off ramps," Bulson said. "The eastbound ramp, after 6 a.m., will be closed. It won't be available at all. There will be no southbound traffic from that location."

Bulson said using public transportation will ease demand on parking and allow participants to depart the area more quickly after they complete the event.

The course takes runners from Packard Drive east of Sun Devil Stadium onto Rio Salado Parkway, where they run west to Mill Avenue, north to Curry Road, east to College Avenue, south to Gilbert Drive and east to Scottsdale/Rural Road.

From there, runners go south to Sixth Street and then back on Packard Drive to the north entrance of Sun Devil Stadium, where they are greeted by a gauntlet of Arizona State football players. The finish of the 4.2-mile race is at the 42-yard-line on Frank Kush Field.

Security was beefed up at Pat's Run after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, and Bulson said that will continue.

"We have maintained our staffing levels at the level we had them after the Boston bombings," he said. "We will have multiple agencies, including local, state and federal including the FBI. Just along the course along, I will have at least 30 officers just assigned to traffic."

Bulson said there will be uniformed and plain-clothed officers at the event, and Tempe police will have officers patrolling in boats on Tempe Town Lake as well.

After being lightly recruited out of high school, Tillman became the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year at ASU and was drafted in 1998 by the Cardinals.

He left the NFL, walking away from a three-year, $3.6-million contract, following the 2001 season to join the Rangers. On April 22, 2004, the 27-year-old Tillman was killed by friendly fire during a firefight in southeastern Afghanistan.

After his death, friends and family members started Pat's Run to raise money for his foundation, which has blossomed into the Tillman Military Scholars program that has funded 347 students around the country with 60 more to be added in 2015.

A similar run in Tillman's home town of San Jose never caught on, but his connection to Valley fans quickly turned Pat's Run into the primary fundraiser for the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Military Scholars program.

Since the Tillman Scholars program began in 2008, the foundation has invested more than $10 million in academic support for students at 98 universities.

At least one scholar will be stationed in each of the 28 starting corrals Saturday morning and more than 60 will be in Tempe to take part in the run.

A complete list of road closures on Saturday

Street restrictions will be in place from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Packard Dr., closed in both directions between Sixth St. and Rio Salado Parkway.

Sixth St., closed in both directions between Rural Road and Packard Dr.

Rio Salado Parkway, closed in both directions between Rural Road and Mill Ave.

Mill Ave. northbound, closed between Rio Salado Parkway and Washington St./Curry Rd.

Curry Road eastbound, closed between Mill and College avenues.

Lakeview Dr., closed in both directions at Curry Road.

College Ave., closed southbound between Curry Road and Gilbert Dr.

Gilbert Dr., eastbound closed between College Ave. and Scottsdale Road.

Scottsdale Rd/Rural Rd., closed southbound between Gilbert Dr. and Sixth St.

SR202 eastbound off-ramp, closed at Scottsdale Road.

SR202 westbound off-ramp, restricted to northbound traffic only at Scottsdale Road.