Charlotte highway to close as thousands compete in popular Labor Day weekend 10K race

Part of the Interstate 277 inner loop will close this weekend for the Around the Crown 10K that draws thousands of runners of all skill levels onto Charlotte streets.

The 6.2-mile race course includes part of the interstate.

The race begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. Highway crews are scheduled to install traffic control measures on I-277 inner beginning at 3 that morning, according to a North Carolina Department of Transportation traffic alert. The outer loop will stay open.

Drivers will be blocked from accessing the inner loop from I-77 North and South, Independence Boulevard and Brookshire Freeway. Smaller interchanges within the inner loop also will be affected.

Crews will reopen I-277 inner starting when the last runner leaves the interstate.

“This will take a few hours, so drivers should not expect to use the inner loop before noon,” according to the NCDOT alert.

Overhead message signs on other roads approaching uptown also will alert drivers to the closure.

Check real-time traffic info at DriveNC.gov .