On May 6, a massive sinkhole partially swallowed a car traveling on 76th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues. According to area resident Patrick Drennan, the sinkhole was roughly 12 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep. He said the driver was uninjured. Drennan said that block residents had complained to 311 about a “larger than normal depression” at least a week prior to the sinkhole’s eruption—with no inquiry made by the city. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for the repair work, and has been working at the scene since the incident. At press time, a DEP spokesperson did not return a call inquiring why the agency did not respond sooner to residents’ concerns. Sinkholes are caused by leaking pipes under the roadway. The water washes away the dirt beneath the asphalt, and over time, causes the street to collapse. Block resident Katie Lynch said she noticed a depression in the road about a month ago. “We don’t own a car, but every time we got a ride, we always felt that bump,” she said. “It was just a matter of time before something like that happened.” She said DEP workers have covered up the giant hole. “But it doesn’t look sturdy enough.”
