nyc: We're planning to view the 2009 NYC Marathon at 1st and 96th and then walk over to 5th Ave. If we park East of 1st Ave but want to view the race standing on the West side of 1st Ave we will have to cross 1st Ave which is where the runners will be. Are there approved crossing areas or are spectators allowed to cross the route? If we cannot cross the route, how can we get from the east side of 1st Ave to the west side?|||Yes..you can cross when there is a lull.|||The online spectator guide indicates some places where spectators can move to get around. You might want to be careful how you plan driving / parking with road closures and rethink your plans. Some marathons don't flip out if the occasional spectator crosses the route when there's a natural gap. Depending on your timing, however, that may be about like trying to cross in the midst of a cattle stampede. They're generally not going to hold up any runners for you, nor do they facilitate large numbers of spectators crossing the course. They appear to expect spectators to be using the metro and be on foot. Trying to park east of 1st might not be a smart move.