Just in time for the evening rush hour, MPD has sealed off four blocks of downtown to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The officers we spoke to said that a suspicious package is to blame, and that the closed area stretches from K St. to M and from 15th to 17th. If you work in the affected area you’ll be permitted to walk out of the area, toward its nearest edge — but otherwise the area’s strictly off-limits. There’s currently no word on when the streets will be reopened.

UPDATE: At 5:10 p.m. the area was reopened. Apparently a briefcase left in front of the 16th & L Planned Parenthood was to blame for the false alarm.

Thanks to Justin P for the tip.