The NYPD briefly closed a block of 42nd Street in the Times Square area of Manhattan before determining that a suspicious package was harmless.

The NYPD set up wooden barriers and police tape on Wednesday morning to shut 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues.

Police also closed Eighth Avenue between 41st and 42nd streets, in front of the Port Authority bus terminal. But the terminal remained open.

Businesses in the area were not evacuated. But police told people to stay inside.

People stood around outside the barriers, gawking and taking pictures.

The suspicious package turned out to be a bag of clothing.

(AP)