A bomb squad investigation shut lanes on the eisenhower expressway Thursday morning in Chicago's west suburbs, blocking traffic in both directions between 25th Avenue and Wolf Road. Illinois State Police said they were investigating between Mannheim Road and Interstate 294 as the incident started around 10 a.m.
Drivers faced a massive backup while a Cook County Sheriff's Office bomb squad unit examined an SUV in a middle lane. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the scene, and authorities expected extended closures.
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Mannheim Road Over I-290
The shutdown closed Mannheim Road to I-290, Mannheim Road over I-290, and eastbound Interstate 88 to eastbound I-290. The public was asked to avoid the area as alternate routes were posted for Roosevelt Road, 31st Street and Cermak Avenue.
Thursday Morning Backup
Aerial footage showed the SUV with its windows blown out, which matched the focus of the investigation in the middle lane. The closure left drivers with fewer ways through the west suburbs, and the posted detours became the only immediate options for anyone already near the expressway.
For motorists headed through that corridor, the practical step was to stay off the shutdown stretch until lanes reopened. The backup, the blocked ramps and the expected extended closure made the outage a full-route problem, not a single-lane delay.
