Susquehanna River Running Festival: Hatem Detour, Road Closures

Traffic modifications will be in place around the Hatem Bridge, downtown Havre de Grace and parts of Perryville Saturday due to the Susquehanna River Running Festival. The event is expected to run from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 28, weather permitting.

Multiple courses make up the festival, which is sponsored by Upper Chesapeake and is now in its second year. The hub for the event is Millard Tydings Memorial Park on Commerce Street. Nobody will be allowed to park there during the festivities.

There's a 5K within the city of Havre de Grace that starts and ends at Tydings Park.

A 10K starts at Perry Point and ends at Tydings Park.

There's also a half-marathon course that takes half-marathon and half-marathon-relay runners over the Hatem Bridge, around the town of Perryville and back over the bridge.

The first race will begin at 8 a.m.

Because of the running festival, there will be temporary closures at the Hatem Bridge.

These Hatem Bridge detours will be in place, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority:

• US 40 west will be temporarily closed at MD 222.
  • From MD 222, drivers will be detoured to Interstate 95 south to the exit for MD 155 to US 40 west.
  • From US 40 east, drivers will be shifted to westbound US 40 at the Ohio/Otsego street intersection, then back to US 40 east at MD 222.

Drivers should be cautious and obey posted-speed limits and traffic-control devices.

"The MDTA thanks its customers for their patience and reminds them to Stay Alert So No One Gets Hurt!" the agency said in a statement.

In the city of Havre de Grace, there will also be modifications for local traffic for the festival.

These areas will be impacted, according to a robocall message from the city of Havre de Grace:

• Tydings Park
• Union Avenue
• Erie Street
• Otsego Street
• US 40
• Hatem Bridge
• Downtown Havre de Grace
• Concord Point Park
• City Yacht Basin

Do not remove posted signs, traffic cones or barricades, city officials ask, and please adhere to the signs specifying no parking. See the full list of rolling closures below.

6 a.m.

• MD 155 east will be reduced to one lane toward Havre de Grace. Superior Street will be closed between Ohio Street and Juniata Street. All traffic must use Ohio Street to US 40/Otsego Street.
• Juniata Street will be closed between Superior Street and Otsego Sreet.
• Commerce Street will be closed between South Stokes Street and Market Street.
• US 40 east will be reduced to one lane from Lewis Lane to Aiken Avenue (includes Hatem Bridge).
• US 40 west will be one lane from Aiken Avenue to Otsego Street (includes Hatem Bridge).
• Perryville Community Park (Marion Tapp Parkway at VA Medical Center entrance) will be closed.

7 a.m.

• US 40 west will be closed at MD 222 (Perryville Road/Aiken Avenue). Traffic will be detoured to I-95 south (Tydings Bridge). The Hatem Bridge will be CLOSED to westbound traffic; use I-95 south.
• US 40 east will be shifted into the US 40 west lanes from Otsego Street to MD 222 (Perryville Road/Aiken Avenue).
• MD 222 (Aiken Avenue) will be closed in the Southbound direction from US 40 and Broad Street.
• Broad Street will be closed in the westbound direction.
• The VA Medical Center Entrance at Ave A and 1st St will be closed. The alternate entrance at Marion Tapp Parkway will be open and handle all vehicular traffic.

7:30 a.m.

• Union Avenue will be closed to traffic, only allowed to cross at Pennington Avenue, Congress Avenue, Revolution Street. All other cross streets will be closed between Freedom Lane and Lodge Lane.
• Erie Street will be closed.
• Water Street will be closed.

8 a.m.

• St. John Street will be closed.
• Market Street will be closed between St. John Street and Commerce Street.
• Girard Street will be closed between Market St and Concord Street.
• Concord Street will be closed between Girard Street and Lewis Lane.
• Lewis Lane will be closed between Concord Street and Market Street.
• VA Medical Center: Ave A will be closed.
• VA Medical Center: Ave D will be closed.
• VA Medical Center: Ave F will be closed.
• VA Medical Center: 10th St will be closed between Ave F & Ave D
• VA Medical Center: 1st St will be closed.

Parking

• RACE ROUTE - The full race route in the City of Havre de Grace will be posted for no parking between 5 a.m. and 12 p.m. Saturday. Parking will be adjusted at the VA Medical Center as well.
• BUS DROP-OFF - Stokes Street - No Parking between Commerce Street and Lafayette Street.

Drivers should be careful and obey posted speed limits and traffic control measures.

"You will make this event safe for city residents, drivers, boaters, visitors, race participants and law enforcement," according to message from the city of Havre de Grace.

Once the festival ends, around noon, the roads will reopen.

In Havre de Grace fashion, the top three overall male and female finishers will receive a hand-carved decoy at the conclusion in Tydings Park from the Susquehanna River Running Festival.