Durham businesses react after I-40 shutdown

Local business owners were still upset on Thursday a day after having to close early because police shut down Interstate 40 in the area of Fayetteville Road in Durham to investigate the report of a suspicious object.

Police shut down the interstate in both directions for more than three hours after a passerby called 911 saying a bomb was spotted in the vicinity The suspicious object was found to be foam.

Scott Molnar, of Planet Beach tanning salon on Fayetteville Road, said his business had to close early on Wednesday because police were taping off the entrances into many local businesses.

"We had several people call in that were planning on coming here that couldn't come to make payments and things like that," said Nathan Stephenson, of State Farm Insurance.

Nearby, a spokesman for The Streets at Southpoint said foot traffic was slow Wednesday afternoon, but for the most part they didn't experience any problems related to the incident.

“After 9/11 and after everything that happened and the focus on Homeland Security, you know, I understand you have to be cautious,” driver Michelle Bennett said. “If there really had been a bomb and it had gone off, a lot of people could have been hurt. So, I would rather them err on the side of caution and if we all have to get where we’re going a little later, then I understand that.”