Sinkhole shuts down busy upstate NY highway in both directions

A four-foot sinkhole on the side of a busy upstate New York highway brought traffic to a standstill in both directions Tuesday, state police said.

Troopers said a culvert on the side of Interstate 88 collapsed about 90 miles west of Albany, sending construction crews scrambling and motorists looking for detours.

Images released by police show the hole along an elevated portion of roadway between exit 10 in Unadilla and exit 12 in Otega, with Department of Transportation crews assessing the damage.

A culvert collapsed on the side of I-88 in upstate New York, shutting down traffic. New York State Police

Drivers were urged to avoid the area until further notice.

Sinkholes have occasionally wreaked havoc in the New York metro area, including one gaping hole that swallowed an entire dump truck in New Jersey in February.

In October, a baseball-sized hole in the sidewalk near Battery Park gave New Yorkers a direct glimpse into subway tunnels underneath.