Nepperhan Avenue literally dropped out from under Yonkers on Thursday when an old brick sewer collapsed beneath the roadway, carving a roughly five-foot-wide sinkhole into an industrial stretch of the street. City crews quickly shut down all northbound lanes between Ashburton Place and Axminister Avenue, rolled in pumps and heavy equipment, and told drivers to brace for delays while engineers figure out just how bad the damage runs underground.
According to CBS News, the collapse started with an aging brick sewer that gave way under the pavement, leaving the surface unstable and forcing an immediate closure. CBS digital producer Alexa Herrera reported that crews had pumps on scene and were working with engineering teams to stabilize the cavity. The outlet noted that the opening measured about five feet across and sits on an industrial block of Nepperhan Avenue.
Closures and local traffic impacts
City officials shut down all northbound lanes on Nepperhan Avenue from Ashburton Place to Axminister Avenue, pushing traffic onto nearby streets and setting up a headache for afternoon commuters and truck drivers. Similar sinkholes have cropped up around Yonkers after heavy storms, triggering sudden shutdowns and temporary fixes, as News 12 Westchester has previously reported. Motorists and delivery drivers are being urged to seek alternate routes while the latest round of emergency work plays out.
What crews are doing now
As reported by CBS News, pumps are running at the site while engineers inspect the failed sewer pipe to determine whether it can be patched or if a full replacement is on the table. The city has not released a repair timeline, saying crews first need to map out the extent of the underground damage before committing to a plan. For now the area remains taped off, traffic is diverted, and officials are keeping an eye on the pavement for any signs the sinkhole might spread.
Why it matters
Nepperhan Avenue is a key industrial and delivery corridor in Yonkers, so a long closure is more than just an inconvenience. A drawn out repair could snarl truck routes, slow local deliveries, and add extra time to daily commutes. The collapse also highlights the strain on the city’s aging underground infrastructure, especially older brick sewers that get tested every summer when storms and heavy flows hit.
Residents and businesses near the affected stretch should expect construction noise, utility trucks, and detours while repairs unfold. City officials and public works crews say they are coordinating with engineers on next steps and will release more details and traffic advisories for the Nepperhan Avenue corridor as the repair plan firms up. We will continue to monitor official updates as they are announced.
