Caltrans reported the CHP closed the Northbound lane of Highway 49 South from Ashworth Road to Silva Road.
The Merced County Bomb Squad was called to the scene.
The SST called Mariposa CHP and it was reported that the device may be a pipe bomb.
At around the 3:30 P.M. the Northbound lane was reopened as the device was discovered to be a container of welding rods.