Race organisers believe this traffic island could cause a pile-up near the start. Photo / Kenny Rodger
Forget the nerves and the jostling - marathon runners will have to deal with another obstacle that hassuddenly sprouted near the start of the Auckland Marathon.
A traffic island at the start line on King Edward Parade in Devonport has created a headache for race organisers keen to
avoid a pile-up only moments after the race begins.
Adidas Auckland Marathon managing director Stephen Brown said organisers had not been told about the obstacle, only discovering it this week during a site inspection.
North Shore City Council project manager Ken Lee-Jones said he had spoken with race organisers about the changes to the road layout.
He said work on the traffic island, which was built on the stretch of King Edward Parade in Devonport where motorists regularly endangered the lives of pedestrians, began 10 weeks ago and was finished at the end of September. He said it would not be removed for the race.
"The race will have to work around it but it's there for a very good reason and we have consulted with and had approval from the community board," said Mr Lee-Jones.
"It's been in place for nearly four weeks now so this is a little upsetting to hear about this - the race organisers should have picked up on this.
"Basically we'll create chutes each side of the island. We're working with our timing guys on a solution," he said.
"It will slow the runners down a wee bit but we hope it won't be a major problem."
A total of 11,000 people are expected to take part in the four events.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge will remain open to traffic at the same time as participants cross the structure. The western "clip-on" lanes have been reserved for the event and will be closed to traffic.
Runners will use the right-hand lane, with the adjoining lane reserved for emergency and bridge services only. Any participant who runs in the emergency lane risks disqualification.
- additional reporting, Alanah May Eriksen
