The Cleveland Marathon takes place on commencement day. The race route passes through University Circle and into downtown Cleveland. Visitors attending Case Western Reserve University’s commencement ceremonies should expect road closures and delays in the University Circle area and surrounding communities. Please plan ahead and allow for extra travel time.
Marathon participants are expected to be in the area of campus between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. This will affect both parking and traffic routes on the morning of commencement.
The race route passes through University Circle on Chester Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will be totally closed to vehicular traffic between Chester Avenue and the I-90/Route 2 Shoreway and East 105th Street from 8 a.m. until about 4:30 p.m.
If you are driving to campus from the east or west on I-90 Shoreway the morning of commencement, exit at East 55th Street then head south to Euclid Avenue and then east to campus. An electronic signboard in each direction will indicate the appropriate exit. Euclid Avenue is open to vehicular traffic heading eastbound.
Vehicular traffic on Chester Avenue will be two-way but reduced/intermittent in the westbound lane between East 55th Street and MLK Drive. Commencement guests are encouraged to divert to Euclid Avenue for eastbound travel to University Circle.
To avoid marathon traffic all together, guests coming from the west side via I-90 are encouraged to take I-490 to East 55th. Head north on East 55th, then east toward campus on Carnegie or Euclid.
For more information on commencement, including a full schedule of events, visit case.edu/commencement.