SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)-- A "suspicious package" taped to a tree in Syracuse, which led to evacuations at city hall, turned out to be an I-81 noise monitor owned by the New York State Department of Transportation.

Everyone at City Hall, including the mayor, stood outside the building on the afternoon of Sept. 29, as Syracuse Police investigated the report of a suspicious package.

The item was a box with a microphone duct-taped to a tree outside of Syracuse City Hall. The mayor stated that the city had previously discussed placing NYSDOT noise monitors around the city before the incident.

"The majority of these discussions have been about fixing these devices to utility poles," said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. "But a tree was a surprise to me."

The mayor added that the city of Syracuse i

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