Suspicious package turns out to be construction materials

By Becky Bosshart

Published Thursday, March 12, 2009 | 5:24 p.m.

Updated Thursday, March 12, 2009 | 6:55 p.m.

Metro Police stopped traffic for more than two hours at West Cheyenne Avenue and U.S. 95 North as a response team investigated a suspicious package near the on-ramp.

"It was determined not to be a threat to our community," said Metro officer Bill Cassell.

He said the response team found the container of road construction materials near the westbound Cheyenne on-ramp to the highway.

"We don't know where it came from, and we don't believe it was put there with any malicious intent," Cassell said.

Traffic on U.S. 95 was not affected. The container was reported to police at about 3:40 p.m. Traffic was stopped at West Cheyenne Avenue between Tenaya Way and Rainbow Boulevard starting at about 3:50 p.m. The on- and off-ramps at Cheyenne and U.S. 95 also were closed.

The container was removed at about 5:20 p.m. and taken to a secure location, Cassell said. Emergency service equipment and the response team remained on scene.

"We've got a lot of equipment parked on the Cheyenne overpass that we have to break down and secure before we can open it up to traffic," Cassell said.

The road reopened at 6 p.m.