Will evening rush hour gridlock in downtown persist until after the Super Bowl?

Eight blocks, 45 minutes. That's how long it took some buses to make their way along Marquette Avenue during the peak of Wednesday's evening rush hour in downtown Minneapolis.

At 5 p.m., buses inched their way along the busy corridor prompting some to wonder if that will become the normal commute as Super Bowl festivities get under way.

Officially events don't start until Friday, but bus riders are being warned to prepare for delays and adjust their travel plans accordingly.

Maple Grove Transit said several of its buses had trouble getting to the route starting point at 10th Street and 2nd Avenue S., which is not far from the Minneapolis Convention Center where the Super Bowl Experience is taking place and some streets are shut down.

City officials said the jam-up resulted from Super Bowl prep work and that crews removing snow "improperly obstructed street travel lanes in a few locations."

Spokesman Casper Hill said the Public Works Department cleared the roads after becoming aware of the gridlock.

Thursday didn't go much better for some riders.

Others are dreading how their commute will play out Friday and all next week.

"The bus ride from 6th & Marquette at 4:30pm took 40 minutes to get to 35W South, so I guess 5 minutes were shaved off from yesterday," said Christa Nelson. "Not looking forward to the commute tomorrow or next week."

Maple Grove Transit authorities said they will keep an eye on the situation and look for potential solutions.

"However, the range of options is extremely limited," the agency said. "Riders should be prepared for these potential delays and adjust their travel plans accordingly."

From Wednesday through Feb. 2, the agency will run an early trip at 1:16 p.m. on routes 781 and 785 for commuters who want to get out of downtown ahead of rush hour and miss events associated with the Bold North Festival.