Sinkhole Shuts Down East Ridgewood Avenue: Westbound Traffic Diverted for Hours
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A sudden infrastructure failure disrupted the Monday morning commute in Bergen County when a large sinkhole opened up on a major local thoroughfare.
On Monday morning, June 1, 2026, a significant sinkhole formed in the asphalt surface of East Ridgewood Avenue near Southern Parkway, forcing emergency officials to shut down all westbound lanes.
The busy roadway was completely closed to westbound traffic for over two hours while municipal emergency crews rushed to secure the scene and begin repairs.
Detours and Traffic Disruptions
The incident began impacting drivers mid-morning. To keep traffic moving and ensure public safety, the Ridgewood Police Department Patrol Division quickly established detour posts.
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Closure Timing: The westbound lanes were blocked from approximately 9:45 AM through 12:30 PM.
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Diversion Point: Westbound motorists were systematically diverted away from the hazard at Brookside Avenue.
Ridgewood Water Responds to the Scene
Because sinkholes under asphalt are frequently tied to underlying water main breaks or subterranean erosion, specialized utility crews from Ridgewood Water were immediately dispatched to the site.
Utility workers worked aggressively for nearly three hours to excavate the damaged area, stabilize the ground beneath the road, and patch the asphalt surface. Thanks to the rapid joint response from Ridgewood Water and local police, the thoroughfare was safely reopened to traffic just in time for afternoon travel.
Local authorities have not yet confirmed if a specific water main break triggered the collapse.
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Call the county.
Call the road department, maybe they could fill it in