Commuters and dozens of OC Transpo buses had to be re-routed Friday after police closed the Mackenzie King Bridge due to the discovery of a suspicious package. Ottawa Police Service closed the bridge between Nicholas Street and Elgin Street in both directions to both vehicles and pedestrians at about 8 a.m. upon the discovery of the package.
More than a dozen buses were backlogged waiting to get into the closed Transitway at Laurier Avenue and Waller Street. The closure snarled traffic going downtown as commuters had to use an alternate route.
The bridge re-opened about an hour later after police determined the suspicious package was not a threat.
The Mackenzie King Bridge passes over the Rideau Canal near the Rideau Centre and Department of National Defence headquarters on the east end and the National Arts Centre and Confederation Park on the west.