Gumming up

Traffic restrictions aren't supposed to get serious until after rush hour tonight, but the general flow of life around St. Paul is already getting, well... thicker.

People are already reporting that its taking two or three times as long to get into downtown St. Paul and generally move around. Here's what Wabasha looked like a little while ago. I can't remember a time when parked traffic actually lined both sides of the street for more than a fleeting moment.

The best counsel I can give anyone who's going to be in downtown St. Paul in the next week: the "Walk/Don't Walk" lights are no longer just a courtesy. If you mindlessly wander out into the street with some notion of crossing, like you usually can in St. Paul, either a delivery truck or some other large object is going to flatten you.