Flash Flooding On Hutch Strands Drivers in Water, Closes Roadways

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — A flash flood Thursday evening left motorists stranded in the water and brought traffic to a halt on the Hutchinson River Parkway.

Severe weather left a portion of the highway entirely submerged and caused two cars to be stranded in the water.

Mount Vernon, Pelham and Pelham Manor Fire Departments responded to multiple accidents with drivers trapped on Southbound lanes of the Hutchinson River Parkway near the Lincoln Avenue Bridge at just after 5 p.m. DOT workers from the site of the Lincoln Avenue Bridge construction project were able to bring the passengers in one of the cars to safety.

The Hutchinson River Parkway was under more than a foot of water in one section of the roadway near the Lincoln Avenue Bridge. (Jeff Edwards)

All of the stranded motorists had been brought to dry land by 6 p.m., but the parkway remained closed on both sides of the highway near Lincoln Avenue in Mount Vernon as of 7 p.m.

The bridge work in the area of the flash flood is part of the "Lower Westchester Bridges Bundle" to replace four bridges, renovate one other and convert a large culvert into a small bridge. NYSDOT said the project, which is focused on drainage upgrades and the reconstruction of flood-prone roadways, will improve safety during storms.

Mount Vernon Fire Department Rescue crews were already busy nearby, saving trapped motorists from a flooded low-lying roadway near St. Paul's National Historic site.

Meanwhile, a flash flood advisory from the National Weather Service remained in effect in the area until 8:15 p.m.