A growing sinkhole at the corner of Napier Avenue and East 233rd Street in Woodlawn has made residents concerned for weeks, as drivers maneuvered around the roadway defect to avoid damaging their vehicles.
Neighbors said the hole had been expanding for more than two weeks, prompting some residents to place a traffic cone inside it to warn motorists.
"It's huge," said Paul, a Woodlawn resident.
Residents pointed to construction work that took place at the intersection last November as a possible cause, and said the roadway was never properly restored after barriers were removed.
"Obviously they didn't fix it. Look at it," Paul said.
The sinkhole measured just over a foot wide and had become large enough to raise safety concerns among neighbors.
"If a car would run into it, what do you think would happen to the car?" Paul asked.
"Oh, it would be destroyed," he said. "I hope no one gets hurt," said another neighbor.
A cinder block and baseball were visible inside the hole as residents attempted to draw attention to the problem.
Paul said he spent much of the day trying to contact city agencies about the growing hazard.
"I've actually been trying to call them all day today and I didn't get in touch with anybody," he said.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection said it was aware of the sinkhole and dispatched a crew to inspect the area.
Following News 12's inquiry, the Department of Environmental Protection repaired the sinkhole.
© 2026 N12N, LLC
