I-76 between Kenmore leg, Central Interchange reopens; item not a threat, safety crews say

I-76 has reopened in both directions from Central Interchange to the Kenmore Boulevard exit, according to a press release from the City of Akron.

"The exits to Main Street from I-76 will remain closed temporarily as will Main Street from South Street to Thornton Street as crews finish up," the release states.

The highway was originally closed around 10 a.m. Tuesday due to a suspicious item being found by two members of the Summit County Engineer's Office Bridge Crew underneath the I-76 overpass on Main Street. The two workers reported the item to local authorities, noting that the cylindrical object, which the city later identified as a barrel, had writing on it that "indicated it was possibly an explosive device," according to a release from the Akron Fire Department.

Crews from Akron fire, Akron police, the Summit County Sheriff's Bomb Squad and Ohio State Patrol were subsequently able to determine the item was not an explosive device and not dangerous.

Portions of Interstate 76/I-77, Main Street, and off-ramps were briefly closed to ensure public safety, according to a release from the Engineer's Office.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: I-76 between Kenmore leg, Central Interchange reopens; item not a threat, safety crews say