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Downtown Street Closed For Grand Prix Construction

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore's Grand Prix is just a couple of months away, but it's causing some havoc downtown as of Monday.

Gigi Barnett reports on a new street closure that's affecting drivers right now.

For the next couple of weeks the road closure will greet drivers as they try to get off or on Conway Street.

It is a short stretch of a road that may cause some long delays.

Construction crews and bumper-to-bumper traffic all equal one thing.  A new traffic pattern on one of the city's busiest streets is causing some delays.

For the next two weeks city leaders are closing Conway Street in both directions between Light and Charles Streets. It's all to make way for the Baltimore Grand Prix.

It's a new event to Baltimore's old streets.

"Some of the repairs haven't been done in over 35 years," said Adrienne Barnes, Department of Transportation.

That kind of work takes time because anything can go wrong.

"Look at the underground utility work to try to avoid or alleviate any main or damage to the infrastructure under the surface," Barnes said.

Conway Street is right in the middle of the race route. It shut down Monday at 5 a.m.

The detours and delays aren't just for drivers.

"If they're blocking it and I will not be able to cross the street, then that will be a problem for me. And then I will have to walk all the way around," said Jocelyn Smith, pedestrian.

The city says there are several detours drivers can take. Outbound traffic can take Lombard Street to Howard and that should lead them out of the city. If drivers are coming into Baltimore, take I-395 and right onto MLK.

For a link to find detour routes, click here.

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