{"id":178095,"date":"2026-03-04T18:06:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T18:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/178095\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T18:06:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T18:06:08","slug":"gate-river-run-2026-parking-start-time-and-best-spot-for-spectators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/178095\/","title":{"rendered":"Gate River Run 2026: Parking, start time and best spot for spectators"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 The Gate River Run returns this weekend<\/a>, bringing Jacksonville\u2019s running community together for its 48th consecutive year on March 7. With construction at EverBank Stadium, the 2026 race will start and finish at the Jacksonville Shipyards, but the tradition marches on.\u00a0Over 20,000 runners are expected to take on the iconic 15K course<\/a>, including the famous Hart Bridge \u2014 known affectionately as the \u201cGreen Monster\u201d \u2014 which has created countless memories and helped define Jacksonville\u2019s running legacy.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re hitting the streets or cheering from the sidelines, here\u2019s what you need to know about\u00a0this annual celebration of endurance and community<\/a>.<\/p>\n


\nNew start and finish line for Gate River Run 2026 <\/p>\n

The new start and finish location for Gate River Run 2026 will be at the Jacksonville Shipyards<\/a>, located at 700 E. Bay St. Check the course map here.<\/a> The race hub moves to the Shipyards, just four blocks east of the Main Street Bridge. Park downtown and enjoy a short, easy walk to the start line.<\/p>\n


\nWhen does the first wave for the Gate River Run start? <\/p>\n

Wave starts begin at 8 a.m.<\/p>\n


\nHow many people are participating in the Gate River Run 2026? <\/p>\n

As of March 2, 2026, about 20,083 are registered to run this year.<\/p>\n


\nIs there a time limit for the 15k? <\/p>\n

All 15K participants need to be at the Hart Bridge, which is at mile 7.5, by 10:30 a.m. This is a 20-minute-mile pace.<\/p>\n


\nKey road closure information (March 7, 2026) <\/p>\n

The 2026 Gate River Run<\/a> on Saturday, March 7, will cause significant traffic impacts and road closures in downtown Jacksonville, San Marco, and the surrounding areas from early morning until around 11 a.m. Key closures include the Main Street Bridge, Hart Bridge, Gator Bowl Boulevard, and parts of Duval Street and Hendricks Avenue.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Start\/Finish: The race starts and finishes at the Jacksonville Shipyards (700 E. Bay St.), causing closure of Bay Street east of the Main Street Bridge.Bay Street, from Liberty Street to Jacksonville Shipyards, 10 a.m. March 6 to 2 p.m. March 7Main Street Bridge: Full length, closed to traffic approximately 7:45 to 9 a.m.Hart Bridge: southeast-bound, from Duval Street to Atlantic Boulevard, 7:45 to 11:30 a.m.Gator Bowl Boulevard, Hart Bridge ramp to A. Philip Randolph Boulevard, 10 a.m. March 6 to 2 p.m. March 7Duval Street, from Jacksonville Fairgrounds to Main Street Bridge, 7:15 to 8:45 a.m.A. Philip Randolph Boulevard, from Adams Street to Bay Street, 7:15 to 9 a.m.Riverplace Boulevard and Prudential Drive, 8 to 9:15 a.m.San Marco Boulevard, from Prudential Drive to Laverne Street, 8 to 9:30 a.m.River Road and River Oaks Road, 8:15 to 9:45 a.m.Hendricks Avenue, from River Oaks Road to Alexandria Place, 8:20 to 10 a.m.Alexandria Place and Belote Place, 8:20 to 10:15 a.m.Atlantic Boulevard westbound, from Belote Place to Holmesdale Street, 8:20 to 10:30 a.m.Holmesdale Road, Nicholson Road, Olive Street and Gay Avenue, 8:20 to 10:45 a.m.Altantic Boulevard westbound, from Gay Avenue to Hart Bridge, 8:20 to 11 a.m. <\/p>\n


\nWhy is the Hart Bridge nicknamed the ‘Green Monster’? <\/p>\n

The Hart Bridge is nicknamed the “Green Monster” because it is the iconic and most challenging feature of Jacksonville’s annual Gate River Run 15K.<\/p>\n


\nAt what mile do runners need to face the ‘Green Monster,’ Hart Bridge? <\/p>\n

Runners hit the Hart Bridge at mile 7.0, tackling a steep 140-foot climb over half a mile. The final mile after the bridge is mostly downhill, giving runners a chance for a fast finish. A timing point at mile 8.3 helps track pace for the final stretch of the race.<\/p>\n


\nWhen was the Hart Bridge built? And how much did it cost to build it? <\/p>\n

Jacksonville\u2019s Hart Bridge, nicknamed the \u201cGreen Monster,\u201d opened to traffic on Nov. 2, 1967. The steel cantilever bridge cost $40.4 million to build \u2014 and it was already standing for a decade before the race began.<\/p>\n


\nRunning the Gate River Run? Here’s where to park for the Gate River Run 2026? <\/p>\n

If you are coming from the Downtown side of the start\/finish:<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re crossing the Main Street Bridge or Acosta Bridge, plan to park downtown and walk to the starting area. The starting line is about a half-mile from the Main Street Bridge.<\/p>\n

If you prefer to park closer to the stadium, you\u2019ll need to access it via Duval Street. Parking garages on both sides of the arena will be open, along with Lot P near the former Fairgrounds site. Keep in mind: it\u2019s actually a shorter walk from downtown than from Lot P.<\/p>\n

If you are coming from the Stadium side of the start\/finish:<\/p>\n

The primary parking areas will be the Tailgaters and Cypress lots off Talleyrand Avenue. Free shuttle buses (about a one-mile ride) will run to and from the start\/finish area.<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re running or cheering from the sidelines, there\u2019s no general parking at the Jacksonville Shipyards start\/finish area. All participants and spectators must park in designated zones and either walk or use the event\u2019s shuttle transportation.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at the official Gate River Run parking map and the approved areas where you can leave your car.<\/p>\n


\nWhat\u2019s the easiest way to park for the Gate River Run? <\/p>\n

Try the River Taxi transportation option from the Southbank. Available Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.<\/p>\n

Participants who park on the Southbank can hop aboard the River Taxi for a direct ride to the Jacksonville Shipyards start and finish area. It\u2019s one of the simplest and most convenient ways to get to the race morning without the parking hassle.<\/p>\n

Pickup Location: DoubleTree Hotel Dock, 1201 Riverplace Blvd.Drop-off Location: Liberty Street Dock, just a short walk to the race start and finish at the Shipyards.One ticket purchase is valid to hop on and off all day. <\/p>\n

You can purchase your River Taxi tickets in advance through the event\u2019s ticket link.<\/a><\/p>\n


\n \"\"<\/p>\n


\nWhat are some key spots to cheer runners at the Gate River Run? <\/p>\n

San Marco Square: A fan-favorite location where runners pass through the heart of the neighborhood.Main Street Bridge & Hart Bridge: High-energy and one of the most intense sections of the entire course, as runners make their way across the St. Johns River.Downtown Jacksonville streets: Plenty of viewing opportunities along the route through the city core.Jacksonville Shipyards (700 E. Bay St.): The ultimate spot, cheer runners on as they make their final push to the finish line. <\/p>\n

Editor’s note: This\u00a0story<\/a>\u00a0was first published by our news partners, The Florida Times-Union.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 The Gate River Run returns this weekend, bringing Jacksonville\u2019s running community together for its 48th…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":178096,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-178095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178095"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178095\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}