Lake Shore Drive Reopens After Suspicious Package Checked
Updated 04/16/14 - 2:58 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago police shut down Lake Shore Drive on the North Side for more than an hour Wednesday afternoon as they investigated a suspicious package.
The police Bomb and Arson Squad could be seen using bomb disposal robots and bomb-sniffing dogs to check out a package found along the shoulder of northbound Lake Shore Drive near Lawrence Avenue. Traffic was shut down in both directions as police investigated.
Police first received a call about the package shortly before noon, but didn't find the package until about an hour later, and shut down Lake Shore Drive a short time after that.
Traffic was diverted off Lake Shore Drive onto side streets between Wilson and Foster avenues as crews determined what was in the package.
Southbound lanes reopened shortly before 2:20 p.m., and northbound lanes reopened shortly after 2:30 p.m.
The suspicious object, a police spokeswoman says, turned out to be a blue duffel bag that contained a sleeping bag.
Residents of the Uptown area, like Karen Santor, says bomb scares like this one are a sign of the times.
"I get it, but it's sad. It's a sad way to live - to have to worry about all this stuff," said Santor.
There were a few piles of blankets and bags found near the overpass and underneath the overpass on Lawrence, more items that looked like they were the property of a homeless person.