One lonely orange cone is all that stands between drivers and a growing sinkhole at a busy Belmont intersection, where neighbors say a normal commute has turned into a rolling game of dodge-the-crater.
The hole has opened up where Webster Avenue meets East 182nd Street, right in the middle of the roadway. Residents say motorists have very little time to spot the hazard before they are practically on top of it, and they worry it is only a matter of time before someone pops a tire, wrecks a suspension or ends up in a fender-bender if the street is not fixed soon.
As reported by News 12, the sinkhole is marked by a single cone planted inside the cavity and has quickly become a neighborhood talking point. Daily users of the corridor told the outlet the hole is deep enough to do damage. One of them, Yamilet Vazquez, said, “Your tire would definitely get popped,” and questioned whether public dollars are really reaching blocks that need repairs most. According to the outlet, city officials told reporters the Department of Environmental Protection is looking into the issue.
City response and what DEP tracks
In testimony to the City Council, the Department of Environmental Protection noted that reports of sinkholes rose in FY22 after extreme storms put heavy stress on underground sewers. The agency explained that cave-ins often follow failures in water or sewer lines, and that intense downpours can act like a "pressure test" that exposes weak sewer segments and occasionally triggers sudden collapses.
Those details help explain why the same streets can seem to fall apart repeatedly, with chronic trouble spots showing up in familiar corridors. They also shed light on why multiple city agencies may sweep in for inspections after a collapse is reported, even if all that is visible on the surface is a small opening surrounded by cones.
Other holes have opened along Webster Avenue
News 12 has also highlighted sinkholes elsewhere in the Bronx in recent months, including a large one along Webster Avenue at East 174th Street. Bikers told the outlet that hole had grown big enough to collect trash. The repeat problems on or near Webster Avenue have amplified the sense that some neighborhoods wait far too long for lasting repairs.
Drivers and cyclists say they are left to slow to a crawl or reroute altogether to protect their vehicles, a workaround that can quickly clog neighboring streets and leave everyone inching along.
Residents want answers and a timetable
Neighbors around Webster and East 182nd say they want more than a cone and a vague promise that someone is "looking into it." They are calling for a clear repair schedule and a straight answer on which agency will ultimately fix the road.
The City Council has proposed a local law that, according to the New York City Council, would require the Department of Environmental Protection to post scheduled and requested infrastructure work online, including sinkhole repairs, so residents can see when crews are expected to show up. For now, neighbors say the visible cones and quick patches they see in the area do not inspire much confidence that a long-term fix is on deck.
Officials have not yet posted a timeline for repairs at the Webster Avenue intersection, and locals say they are prepared to press their elected representatives if the hole stays open. Until a permanent fix is in place, drivers are being urged to slow down and give the intersection a wide berth. City officials told reporters they are reviewing the problem and may follow up with further inspections and repair work.
