Parking lots full, streets jammed on opening day of Minnesota State Fair

The weather could not have been better for the opening day of the Minnesota State Fair, but traffic was a different story.

Getting to the front gate was tough all day, with traffic jams on thoroughfares and secondary streets near the fairgrounds.

Parking was at a premium, too. By 11 a.m., all on-site parking had filled, as had 17 of the fair’s 19 free park-and-ride lots, including the 4,000 spaces available at the University of Minnesota.

Buses shuttling fairgoers inched along on Como Avenue, where eastbound traffic backed up to near Hwy. 280 just after 10 a.m. Bottlenecks formed much earlier on other popular routes, including Snelling, Larpenteur and Hamline avenues.

Joe and Marla McPherson spent 45 minutes stuck in traffic, even using Cleveland Avenue and County Road B in attempt to bypass traffic, but to no avail. At 8 a.m., they eventually pulled into a Falcon Heights neighborhood and paid $25 to park on the street.

In used to be a place to park free, but Falcon Heights this year began charging fairgoers to park on the street in some neighborhoods. The McPhersons, formerly from the Twin Cities, struggled to make what was billed as “fast & easy” parking payments, but eventually succeeded.

“Not the way we wanted to start the day,” Marla McPherson said.

“So far, so good, but there is a first day learning curve for some people,” said Falcon Heights City Administrator Jack Linehan. “It’s unpopular with some, but we’ve had quite a few people” parking on the streets, he said.

Slow cellphone service may have been behind some of the troubles, but most people have been able to complete payment, Linehan said.

Shannon Drury and Joan Kinsley of Minneapolis rolled up on Asbury Street just as they have done for the past 20 years on opening day.

“Only now we are paying for it,” Kinsley said. It took Kinsley a couple tries to pay, but “I’m there. I got it,” she exclaimed as her order went through.

Failure to pay could result in a $100 ticket, Linehan said.

On days like Thursday, lots can fill up fast. And buses will get stuck in traffic.