UES Sinkhole Expands, Forcing Sudden Esplanade Closure

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — City officials have fully closed a stretch of the East River Esplanade between East 93rd Street and East 94th Street on Thursday morning after a long-standing sinkhole there was discovered to have significantly worsened and expanded.

The closure went into effect Thursday morning around 8 a.m., according to city officials.

"In response to the sinkhole and to ensure safety, the East River Esplanade is temporarily closed to pedestrians and cyclists between E 93rd Street and E 94th Street," a spokesperson from the Parks Department told Patch. "We are working with DOT to develop a detour route, which will be implemented as soon as possible."

Friends of the East River Esplanade founder Jennifer Ratner told Patch the closure is disrupting people's routines and commutes, as well as underscoring years of deferred repairs along the Esplanade.

"We understand that this is an extremely complicated area from the standpoint of infrastructure, but this specific sinkhole, between 93rd and 94th, has been long, long, long-standing," Ratner, who founded Friends of the East River Esplanade more than 10 years ago, told Patch.

The sinkhole had been previously fenced off, but the area was still accessible to pedestrians.

"Sinkholes along the Esplanade have been an ongoing problem ever since I've been involved in waterfront advocacy," Ratner said.

No word yet on when the closed stretch will reopen.

"We are actively working on 16 projects in our pipeline, in coordination with sister agencies, to restore and improve the esplanade," the Parks spokesperson told Patch.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.