Adapted from Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com:

It’s past time to end traffic-paralyzing and potentially dangerous road races in downtown Providence. The Sept. 17 CVS Health Downtown 5K showed what a mess these events can make.

Yes, besides being an ad forWoonsocket-based CVS, this event raises money for some nonprofits. But these promotions can also bring other activities to a halt in the middle of New England’s second-largest metro. They can block police, fire and rescue vehicles and prevent consumers from getting to stores,  restaurants and hospitals. Members of the public should just send money to their favorite local charities, without the city going through these disruptive events.

The charity, teamwork and goodwill associated with these races are very nice. But if we must have them why not keep them out in the country or suburbs, where they can’t snarl life for many thousands of locals for hours?

Yes, the Boston Marathon goes into, well, Boston, but mostly on a straight line, not curving around constantly, as doraces in tight little downtown Providence. And most of the Boston Marathon route is in the exurbs and suburbs. Further, it's an international event that really does bring money into Boston. Not so these runs in Providence.