Retaining Wall Bricks Collapse On Cross Bronx Expressway
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Façade bricks on a retaining wall collapsed on the Cross Bronx Expressway near the Major Deegan Expressway on Thursday.
The collapse happened on the westbound side of the expressway. Exit lanes to the Major Deegan were blocked afterward.
Thankfully, according to the FDNY, no one was injured. As CBS2's Dave Carlin reported, there were also no reports of any cars damaged when the bricks tumbled on to both lanes.
But the ripple effect was a terrible inconvenience for drivers trying to get home.
Some drivers reported delays of up to two hours stuck to the far right of the westbound Cross Bronx with nowhere to go.
New York State is in charge of the expressway's upkeep, and some irritated divers demanded to know why it was allowed to get into such a state of disrepair.
"The Cross Bronx is terrible. I hate it. I hardly get on it, and bricks are falling because it needs repair," said Brenda Blassingame of High Bridge, the Bronx.
"I'm glad nobody was hurt, but like, you know, they should maintain it. They should be checking it regularly to see if it's being like kept up to, like, you know, good standards, but it looks like they don't even check on it because there have been potholes since last year that's been the same way, so it looks like nobody is maintaining it," said Omar Vasquez of Morris Park, the Bronx.
One lane on the Cross Bronx remained closed at the Major Deegan as late as 10 p.m. All lanes of traffic were back open by 11 p.m.
State officials said the structure of the retaining wall was likely uncompromised, but the investigation was under way late Thursday to make sure of it.
Drivers in the area said similar situations have required years of work on highways and roadways. There was no indication of such a thing in the future for this particular incident.
