You've Been Warned: Driving Around L.A. on Sunday Morning Isn't Such a Good Idea

You've heard by now that this year's L.A. Marathon will take a different route than year's past -- and unlike past years, will start and stop in different locations (from North Hollywood to downtown). Check out the marathon route map here.

The new route means more intersection closures than last year. The L.A. Times writes that more than 350 major intersections will be closed (compared to 215 last year), as well as 22 offramps along the Hollywood, Santa Monica and Harbor freeways:

Getting around by bus won't be much easier: 80 bus lines will be rerouted, forcing some drivers to drop passengers at subway and light-rail stations to complete their journeys.

"We are urging people to use the Metro rail system … because our bus system will be greatly impacted by the new race route," said Rick Jager, a Metro spokesman.

This year's marathon begins at 8:15 a.m. at Cahuenga and Lankershim boulevards near Universal City. It travels through Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Exposition Park, West Adams and the Eastside, ending at 5th and Flower streets downtown.

Because the route is no longer circular, marathon participants will have to park at one end and travel, preferably by subway, to the other end, adding to the congestion.

Public transit should be extra crowded early Sunday, as more than 20,000 runners and walkers — combined with an estimated 1 million spectators — hustle to get in place. Marathon runners are invited to ride Metro buses and trains for free. (Race organizers will pay their way.) Others are urged to buy a $3 day pass for unlimited use.

Red Line subway trains will be on an accelerated schedule, running every six minutes between Universal City and downtown L.A. beginning at 4:45 a.m. Riders going to the starting line should board the Red Line train marked "North Hollywood."

Downtown traffic will be most affected. The area bounded by Western Avenue, Soto Street, 3rd Street and Vernon Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic for much of Sunday. A smaller area, bounded by 3rd Street, Grand Avenue, 5th Street and Flower Street, will be shut down beginning Saturday evening.

City transit officials warn that anyone not in the race who's trying to navigate the marathon course will probably be turned around or have to wait for the runners to pass.

Vehicles parked along the marathon route will be towed beginning at 1 a.m. Sunday. Two hours later, street closures will begin. Some streets will be closed until about 5 p.m. Sunday.

My suggestion: If you're not actually in the marathon on Sunday, just sleep in. I suppose you could watch the live coverage on KNBC/Channel 4, but that always makes me feel like a lazy sloth.