Tempe’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona running series, which has a 20-plus-year history with the Valley, will close some roads in Tempe, Scottsdale and Phoenix on Saturday and Sunday.
Find a full list of closures on Tempe's website.
The series features a 5K, 10K and a half-marathon. Starting in 2024, the races no longer include a full marathon.
The annual event in Tempe had over 12,000 runners in the 2024 series, promoting wellness while also contributing to the city's economy.
Michael Martin, the president and CEO of Tempe Tourism, said the 2025 running series will focus on minimizing street restrictions that can affect traffic. He said the Tempe Special Events Office works with the event's producer and law enforcement to plan the most effective routes for runners and traffic.
“They definitely keep track of any impacts that might happen and make decisions based on the best possible routes,” Martin said.
To help with congestion, Martin said 13 local bus routes, six free Orbit circulators, the Streetcar and nine light rail stops provide access to and from downtown Tempe.
Martin said despite the closures, local businesses experience an influx in customer traffic over the weekend due to the uptick in visitors. Last year, the races resulted in an economic impact of $2.6 million for the city.
"When out-of-towners come, they obviously spend money within the community at hotels, restaurants, shops and so forth," Martin said. "So they leave behind an economic impact that then benefits our local community."
Nearly 38% of participants for the 2024 races were visitors, or around 4,000 runners. Martin said another factor in organizing this event is the opportunity to encourage health and wellness in the community.
"Local residents have an opportunity to participate in a major event that they themselves don't have to travel for," Martin said. "They can do it in their own backyard, they can practice for it in months in advance and gives them a goal to look forward to."
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