NEW YORK, N.Y. — A string of crashes, road closures, and construction work slowed traffic across New York State on Friday morning, with downed trees and disabled vehicles adding to the gridlock.
A downed tree shut down both directions of NY 218 between NY 293 and Grant Road in Highlands as of 8:25 a.m. A second tree was reported on Washington Road at Cranswick Lane in Pittsford before sunrise, closing all lanes in that area.
In the Hudson Valley, a crash on I-84 eastbound just west of Exit 41 near Fishkill blocked the right shoulder, while I-684 southbound at Exit 8 in North Salem saw a property-damage crash that also closed the right shoulder.
New York City highways saw heavy impacts, including a crash on the Grand Central Parkway eastbound near Roosevelt Avenue that blocked two right lanes, and another crash on I-278 westbound at the Grand Central Parkway entrance ramp, blocking one right lane.
A disabled bus on I-95 northbound at Wilkinson Avenue blocked a center lane as of 8:21 a.m., further complicating traffic near the Bronx.
Further south, the Southern State Parkway westbound experienced a crash between Exit 40 (Robert Moses Causeway) and Exit 39S (Sylvan Road) in Islip, with the right shoulder blocked. On Long Island, roving roadwork and construction led to additional slowdowns, including off-ramp closures on I-495 and alternating traffic patterns on NY 52 in Kent.
The NYS Thruway (I-87/I-90) saw multiple incidents and construction sites. A crash on I-90 westbound after Exit 34 in Sullivan and debris spilled on I-87 northbound after Exit 18 in New Paltz added to delays. Emergency construction also kept the NY 9A northbound ramp to West 129th Street in Manhattan closed.
In upstate counties, NY 22 was shut down in both directions between Mitchell Street and Collins Street in Hillsdale due to a crash and fluid spill. Meanwhile, a building fire on NY 31 at Lyell Avenue in Rochester early Friday also forced a full road closure.
Dozens of active construction zones were in effect across the state by 8:30 a.m., including alternating lane closures on US 9 in Cortlandt, NY 52 in Kent, the Taconic State Parkway, and several key corridors in Oswego, Syracuse, and Rochester. Many projects included shoulder closures, flagging operations, and limited access to ramps or exits through the afternoon.