Marathon Morning in New York City: Verrazzano Closed at 7, Extra Trains Before Dawn and Ferry Runners

The closures that remake New York City on marathon morning are already taking effect. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the upper level of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge closed to traffic in both directions at 11 p.m. Saturday for race preparation, and the bridge closes to all non-emergency traffic from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday for the TCS New York City Marathon. On Staten Island, the Bay Street and Lily Pond Avenue exits close at 3 a.m. and are expected to reopen at about 4 p.m.; drivers can call the Verrazzano-Narrows Marathon Traffic Hotline at (718) 692-5656 for closure information.

Runners move on a different network. Metro-North Railroad is running additional early-morning inbound trains on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines, arriving at Grand Central Terminal between 5:15 and 5:30 a.m., connecting runners to downtown trains for the Staten Island Ferry and the shuttle buses to the start. The MTA advises marathon crowds to use the MTA app or mta.info for last-minute subway and bus diversions as the race progresses.

Around the course, the Central Park transverse roads at 65th, 79th and 96th Streets will be closed for most of the day, and buses will not be permitted to cross Fifth Avenue during the race. NYC311 puts rolling street closures across the city at roughly 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, all at NYPD discretion, and offers text updates by texting NYCMARATHON to 692-692.

One more clock belongs in every plan: daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, in the middle of the night between the bridge closing and the first trains. An alarm set before bed is an alarm set in the old time - runners and spectators who double-check it get the extra hour the night actually gives them.