If you're planning to drive near Venice Beach, or around the areas of Olympic and Wilshire boulevards on Sunday morning, be prepared for potential traffic delays.

Local Councilmember Bill Rosendahl has issued a statement advising residents there could be traffic problems when Venice Boulevard shuts down for the Kaiser Permanente 12th Annual Los Angeles Triathlon on Sept. 25. Some 3,000 racers and thousands more spectators are expected to be on hand for the triathlon, which will begin at Venice Beach on Sunday morning at 7:15 a.m. when competitors will start the race with a .9 mile swim.

The cycling part of the competition follows, with competitors cycling 24 miles at speeds of over 35 mph along Venice Boulevard and through the Fairfax district as they head downtown. The final 6.2-mile run will take competitors through downtown Los Angeles to the finish line at L.A. Live. Kaiser Permanente also issued a statement saying the cycling and running portion of the triathlon would be managed in three sectors, with streets closing and opening in waves as the competitors move from Venice to downtown. To ensure the safety of the competitors, spectators and vehicular traffic, L.A. Police Department and Department of Transportation officers will be monitoring intersections.

The closures are listed as follows: Sector 1 – Venice Beach, Venice Blvd. to Fairfax/Wilshire (approx. 6:50 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)

Sector 2 – Fairfax/Wilshire to Olympic/Cherry (7:10 am. to 12:15 p.m.)

Sector 3 – Olympic/Cherry to 1st/Grand Ave. (7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) "While this is a great event for Los Angeles, it could cause potential disruption to traffic patterns and make it difficult for those crossing Venice Boulevard to get to church, to brunch, or to visit friends and family," Rosendahl said in a statement. "I am urging everyone to plan ahead and be advised of the delays and detours."

On the Westside, South Venice Boulevard from Ocean Front Walk to Motor Avenue in Palms will be closed to traffic. The only detour north and south will be the 405 Freeway until the scheduled 11 a.m. reopenings in the area.

"Residents can rest assured that emergency vehicles will be able to respond to calls for service," Rosendahl added. "Public safety has always been and will continue to be of utmost importance during these events."

In order to ensure the safety of the participants and to facilitate the movement of traffic around road closures, the Department of Transportation will aggressively enforce all temporary parking restrictions for this event. Questions, concerns, or complaints should be directed to Pacific Sports at 714-978-1528. Additional race information, including a map of the course, can be found here.