FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug. 18, 2016

FORT MCHENRY TUNNEL 5K RUN/WALK

JUST ONE MONTH AWAY

Register Today at tunnelrun.org & Support Special Olympics

BALTIMORE, MD - In just one month, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) offers the unique opportunity to run or walk beneath Baltimore's Harbor at the eighth annual Fort McHenry Tunnel 5K Run/Walk on Sunday, Sept. 18.

The event, which benefits Special Olympics Maryland (SOMD), will begin at 9 a.m. and will take participants on an out-and-back course through the northbound right tunnel tube.

"The MDTA Police is proud of its long-standing partnership with SOMD," said MDTA Police Chief Colonel Jerry Jones. "There's no better opportunity to support the dedicated and inspiring SOMD athletes than by enjoying a Sunday morning run or walk through a tunnel that is recognized far and wide for its engineering achievements."

To register as an individual, to form or join a team or to support a registered runner/walker, visit tunnelrun.org. Awards will be presented in various categories, including numerous age groups for men and women. Participants are invited to a post-race celebration sponsored by SOMD. The entry fee is $35 through Sept. 15 and $40 thereafter.

All northbound Interstate 95 traffic will be directed through the tunnel's northbound left tube until the conclusion of the event at approximately 12 noon. Minimal traffic impact is expected.

As avid supporters of SOMD, the MDTA Police participate in the Law Enforcement Torch Run and previously hosted the MDTA Police Plane Pull at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.

The Maryland Transportation Authority Police, a nationally accredited force, is the seventh-largest law-enforcement agency in the state, with more than 600 sworn and civilian law-enforcement professionals. MDTA Police officers provide law enforcement at the MDTA's highways, bridges and tunnels; at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport; and at the Port of Baltimore.

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