TARRYTOWN, NY — Access to the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge on the New York State Thruway was closed to all traffic Thursday morning, according to New York State Police. The shutdown came down around 10:30 a.m. and immediately affected drivers on both sides of the span.
Police said troopers were stationed at most exits along Interstate 287 in both directions to turn traffic away from the bridge. The closure created delays for commuters and other travelers trying to move through the lower Hudson Valley corridor.
Troopers redirected drivers along Interstate 287
State Police said officers were posted at a number of exits to keep vehicles from reaching the bridge while access remained closed. The traffic response covered routes on both the Rockland County and Westchester County sides of the river crossing.
Drivers were being rerouted from Exit 17 in Suffern to the New Jersey border, where rubbernecking was reported. On the Rockland County side, police also noted slowdowns from Exit 10 in South Nyack.
Those stops were meant to keep traffic moving away from the closure point and reduce congestion near the bridge approaches. Police did not say how long the detour pattern would last beyond their expectation that access could reopen by noon.
Backups spread from South Nyack to White Plains
The disruption extended well beyond the bridge itself. Traffic was also affected from Exit 9 in Tarrytown to Exit 8 in White Plains, according to police, adding to delays for drivers already traveling in the area.
The stretch of impacted roadway made the closure a regional commuter issue rather than a single crossing problem. With a major river span unavailable, traffic pressure built on nearby exits and connecting roads used by local and through travelers.
Police described the congestion as rubbernecking in some spots, a sign that drivers slowed while trying to see what had happened. That behavior contributed to the broader backups that formed as troopers worked to keep vehicles away from the closed access points.
State Police did not say why the bridge was shut down
New York State Police did not confirm the reason for the temporary closure. The agency said only that access to the bridge was closed and that it expected the shutdown to be temporary.
With no explanation given at the time, commuters were left to wait for updates and plan around the disruption. Police urged drivers to avoid the area and make alternate travel plans while the closure remained in effect.
The bridge is a key link across the Hudson River
The Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is one of the most important Hudson River crossings in the region, carrying traffic on the New York State Thruway between Rockland and Westchester counties. When access is limited, even briefly, the effect can be felt quickly on Interstate 287 and nearby roads.
Thursday’s closure showed how dependent many drivers are on the span for routine travel through the lower Hudson Valley. A temporary shutdown can ripple outward to exits, ramps and local roads as police try to keep traffic away from the bottleneck.
Drivers were told to wait for reopening updates
Police said access was expected to reopen by noon, though they did not give an exact reopening time in the morning update. The timing suggested the closure was intended to be short-lived, but drivers were still being warned to prepare for delays.
Officials asked commuters to stay out of the area and use other routes until the bridge reopened. As of the morning notice, the situation remained fluid and troopers were still on scene managing traffic around the shutdown.
