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Community Corner

Racine Ironman Bringing 1,700 Athletes and Traffic Trouble to Caledonia and Wind Point

Bicyclists will be on the roads all over the county early Sunday morning

Get ready, Caledonia: on Sunday, you’ll be invaded by 1,700 athletes taking part in the Racine Ironman 70.3.

Particpants will swim 1.2 miles in Lake Michigan, bike for 56 miles, and run for 13.1 miles.
The running and biking sections start in Racine at North Beach and weaves along through the County, along 4 Mile, 4 ½ Mile, and 5 Mile Roads, on County Highways H, V, G, U, and K and back again (see map here).

The race will means heavy trafficand delays for people in Caledonia and Wind Point. And it takes folks a while to swim, bike, and run all that way; the official start time for the race is 7 a.m., but athletes are given 8 hours and 30 minutes to complete it, so expect complications all day long.

Racine County Sheriff’s Lt. Dan Klatt, who is overseeing police coverage for Racine County, Caledonia, and Wind Point, said all the first bikes should be heading out all over the County by at 7:15 a.m. or so, and should be off the road by 2 p.m. The running portion of the race is focused along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

“We won’t actually close routes, but we will hold traffic in intermittent spots. We give the athletes the right of way,” he said. “People in Wind Point may want to come in from the north end if they want to avoid this.”

Ironman is directly paying all police officers who will direct traffic the race; Klatt said that includes about 60 law enforcement staff who he is directly supervising. Ironman is also paying for 12 members of the Racine County Water Rescue Response Team, including SCUBA divers, to help with the swimming portion.

BUSINESS IMPACT

The race is a huge boon to some businesses in Racine, including hotels. Last year, the Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated that it would flood the area with $1.25 million.

Unfortunately for businesses directly along the race course, in the past the blocked roads and challenging traffic have kept customers away.

(2825 4 1/2 Mile Rd.) will be on open on Sunday like usual. But barista Katie Luchterhand said the triathlon usually a pretty dead day, business wise.

“Trying to drive in is a pain,” she said. “It’s so hard to get in here that not many bother.”

Tracy Produce (610 4 Mile Rd.) owner Tracy Meyer said that her store will be open on Sunday. She’s only been through Ironman once before.

“It was kind of slow until afterwards,” she said. “A lot of people watch and then walk home afterwards. It didn’t hurt us or help us.”

(1317 4 Mile Rd.) will also be open, said employee Thomas Stark. He’s doesn’t have to work that day, and he’s excited to watch the bicyclists go past his home on Charles Street, where he’s lived for 17 years.

“I think it’s good for Racine,” he said. “It’s cool.”

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