The Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley returns for a second year on Sunday, June 30, and once again there will be a number of traffic impacts around the region.
The inaugural event in 2023 welcomed more than 2,000 competitors from 43 states and 15 countries, supported by 1,000 volunteers. According to a report from the Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance, it generated $4.4 million for the local economy
As with the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Happy Valley, the triathlon will start at 7 a.m. with a 1.2-mile swim in Foster Joseph Sayers Lake at Bald Eagle State Park.
The second leg is a 56-mile bike race that heads north into Mill Hall before turning south, making its way over Hubler Ridge and Pleasant Gap, descending to Centre Hall, then heading toward the State College area and making a final turn north to the Penn State campus.
Completing the “half-Ironman” is a 13.1-mile run through campus that concludes on the field at Beaver Stadium.
Motorists should be aware of the following traffic impacts — including road closures, closures with local access only and event traffic conditions — and use alternate routes when possible.
Most closures and event traffic conditions will occur in the morning and early afternoon on Sunday. Nearly 20 Penn State campus parking lots also will be closed or have limited access.
BIKE COURSE TRAFFIC IMPACT (All times are for June 30 unless otherwise noted)
| ROAD IMPACTED | FROM | TO | IMPACT | TIMES |
| Commuter Drive (University Park) | Curtin Road | Dauer Drive | Closed | 8 a.m. 6/29 to 6 p.m. 6/30 |
| Curtin Road (University Park) | University Drive | Porter Road | Closed | 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Bald Eagle State Park | Routet 150/Eagle Valley Road | Old Route 220 | Closed | 7 to 10 a.m. |
| Route 150/ Eagle Valley Road (Eastbound) | Main Park Road | Beech Creek Avenue | Event Traffic | 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. |
| Beech Creek Avenue | Route 150/ Eagle Valley Road | Water Street | Closed – Local Access Only | 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. |
| Water Street (Southbound) | Beech Creek Ave | Jacksonville Road | Event Traffic | 7:30 to 11 a.m. |
| Jacksonville Road (Westbound) | Water Street | Hubler Ridge Road | Event Traffic | 7:30 a.m. to noon |
| Hubler Ridge Road (Southbound) | Jacksonville Road | Nittany Valley Drive/Route 64 | Event Traffic | 8 a.m. to noon |
| Nittany Valley Drive/Route 64/College Avenue (Westbound) | Hubler Ridge Road | Harrison Road | Event Traffic | 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| Harrison Road | College Avenue/Route 26 | Main Street/Route 144 | Closed – Local Access Only | 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| Main Street/Route 144/Pennsylvania Ave (Southbound) | Sunset Avenue | Black Bear Drive | Closed – Local Access Only | 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| Route 144/Pennsylvania Avenue | Black Bear Drive | Church Street | Closed | 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| Route 144/Pennsylvania Avenue (Northbound) | Church Street | Kelly Street | Closed – Local Access Only | 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
| Church Street/Upper Brush Valley Road (Westbound) | Route 144/Pennsylvania Avenue | Linden Hall Road | Event Traffic | 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. |
| Boalsburg Road (Northbound) | Linden Hall Road | Branch Road | Event Traffic | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Access to Boalsburg Road from Nittany Orchards Neighborhood is closed. Detour to Whitehill & Berry. | ||||
| Branch Road (Southbound) | Boalsburg Road | Atherton Street | Event Traffic | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Country Club Road | College Avenue | Branch Road | Closed – Local & Club Access Only | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| University Drive (Northbound) | Atherton Street | Easterly Parkway | Event Traffic | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| University Drive (Northbound) | Easterly Parkway | College Avenue | Closed – Local Access Only | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| University Drive | College Avenue | Park Avenue | Closed | 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
RUN COURSE TRAFFIC IMPACT — UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS (All times for Sunday, June 30)
| ROAD IMPACTED | FROM | TO | IMPACT | TIMES |
| Curtin Road | University Drive | Porter Road | Closed | 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Curtin Road | Atherton Street | University Drive | Closed | 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| University Drive | Park Avenue | College Avenue | Closed | 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Hastings Road | McKean Road | University Drive | Closed | 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Elm Road | Bigler Road | Benedict House | Closed | 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Linden Road | McKean Road | Bigler Road | Closed | 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| McKean Road | Shortlidge Road | Bigler Road | Closed | 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Mifflin Road | McKean Road | Pollock Road | Closed | 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Pollock Road | Mifflin Road | Burrowes Road | Closed | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| West Campus Drive | Patterson Street | Barnard Street | Closed | 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Shortlidge Road | Curtin Road | Pollock Road | Closed | 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
CAMPUS PARKING CLOSURES – NO ACCESS IN OR OUT
- Brown B
- Brown E
- Green C
- Orange L (Multi-Sport Facility and Bryce Jordan Center back lot sections)
- Red H
- Yellow E (both sections)
- Yellow H (all sections)
- Yellow L
- Yellow R
- Lot 82 (McKean/Pennypacker section)
CAMPUS PARKING LIMITED ACCESS (Single entrance/exit on Bigler Road at Curtin Road. Entry and exit will only permitted when possible for vehicles to cross safely between event participants.)
- Silver B (all sections)
- Silver G
- Silver J (all sections)
- Silver N
- Yellow F (Eisenhower Deck and surface lot)
- Yellow S
- Yellow T (Pollock section)
- Lot 22
- Lot 42
- Lot 81
Penn State is encouraging permit holders who need to park on campus on Sunday to use the East, HUB, Nittany and West decks.
“A single crossing to access Eisenhower Deck and other areas inside the running route will be maintained on Bigler Road at Curtin Road,” according to a university news release. “Crossing Curtin Road will only be allowed between athletes, and delays may be significant.”
