Check your GPS before you head out. Seriously. If you’re planning on jumping on the Thruway or the Northway, you’ve probably already heard whispers about the accident on 87 today. It’s one of those days where the pavement feels like a parking lot and the red lines on Google Maps look like they’re bleeding across your screen.
Driving in New York, specifically on the Interstate 87 corridor, is always a gamble. You've got the southern stretch—the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway—weaving through the Hudson Valley, and then the Northway heading up toward Canada. When things go wrong on this artery, they go wrong fast. Today is no exception. We aren’t just talking about a little fender bender; we’re looking at significant delays that are rippling through the local commute.
The reality of these wrecks is that they rarely happen in a vacuum. It’s usually a mix of heavy congestion, construction zones that seem to appear out of nowhere, and, honestly, people just driving like they’re in a video game.
The Current Mess: Breaking Down the Accident on 87 Today
Right now, the situation is fluid. According to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and real-time feeds from 511NY, the primary congestion point is causing a massive headache for anyone trying to navigate the afternoon rush. State Police are on the scene, and while they haven't released every single detail yet—they're busy clearing debris—the impact is undeniable.
Why does this specific highway fail so spectacularly when there’s a crash?
Basically, it’s the geography. On many stretches of I-87, especially as you get into the mid-Hudson region or the tighter sections of the Northway, there aren’t many places for traffic to go. You’re boxed in by rock cuts or heavy timber. If a tractor-trailer jacksnails or a multi-vehicle pileup blocks two lanes, you’re stuck. You've basically got a giant metal pipe with a clog in the middle.
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Emergency responders often have a nightmare of a time even reaching the site. If the shoulder is narrow, fire trucks and ambulances have to fight through the same stagnant traffic you’re sitting in. It’s a cascading failure.
Why This Stretch of Highway is a Magnet for Trouble
Most people blame the weather. Sure, rain or a dusting of snow makes things slick, but that's not the whole story. The accident on 87 today is a symptom of a much larger issue with New York's infrastructure and driver habits.
Take the "split" where I-87 meets I-287. It’s chaos. You’ve got people realizing at the very last second that they’re in the wrong lane, darting across three lanes of traffic while doing 70 mph. It’s a recipe for disaster. Then you have the Adirondack Northway sections where the lack of lighting at night and the sudden appearance of deer can turn a routine drive into a nightmare in seconds.
- Tailgating: It’s rampant. People think a two-foot gap at highway speeds is "plenty of room."
- The Phone Factor: Despite every law in the book, you can still look over and see someone scrolling through TikTok while merging.
- Infrastructure Age: Some on-ramps are way too short for modern traffic volume, forcing drivers to "thread the needle" into gaps that don't exist.
Experts like those at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) often point out that human error accounts for over 90% of these incidents. But on I-87, the road design often leaves zero margin for that error. When you combine high speeds with narrow lanes in construction zones, like the ones we've seen near Albany or the lower Hudson Valley recently, the "accident on 87 today" becomes almost an inevitability rather than a surprise.
What to Do If You’re Stuck in the Backup
Honestly? Don't just sit there and fume. If you’re already in the thick of it, your priority is not becoming part of a secondary accident. Rubbernecking is real, and it’s dangerous. When people slow down to look at a wreck on the opposite side of the median, they often end up rear-ending the person in front of them who also slowed down to look.
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If you haven't hit the congestion yet, get off at the nearest exit. Use the backroads. Route 9, Route 9W, or even the Taconic (if you’re on the right side of the river) can be lifesavers. They might be slower in theory, but moving at 30 mph on a winding two-lane road is infinitely better than sitting at 0 mph on I-87.
How to Check for Updates
- 511NY: This is the gold standard for NY state roads. It’s more accurate than most third-party apps because it’s tied directly to the DOT sensors and police reports.
- Waze: Better for spotting "hidden" police or small debris, but sometimes its "shortcuts" lead you into neighborhoods that weren't meant for highway-level volume.
- Local Radio: Sounds old school, right? But stations like WGY in Albany or various 1010 WINS updates in the city often have live helicopter feeds or reporters on the ground.
The Long-Term Fix: Will it Ever Get Better?
We keep seeing these headlines. "Major Delay on 87." "Fatal Crash Closes Northway." It feels like a loop. State officials often talk about "smart" highway signs and increased patrols, but the volume of cars simply outweighs the capacity of the road during peak hours.
There's been talk for years about widening certain sections or improving the interchanges. But construction itself causes accidents. It's a catch-22. In the meantime, the burden falls on us.
Driving defensively isn't just a boring phrase from your driver's ed manual. It’s a survival strategy. On a road like I-87, you have to assume that every other driver is about to do something stupid. Because today, at least one of them did.
Actionable Steps for I-87 Commuters
If you have to travel this route frequently, you can't just hope for the best. You need a plan.
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First, set up automated alerts. Most navigation apps allow you to "schedule" a trip. Do it. It will ping your phone if the accident on 87 today makes your usual departure time impossible.
Second, keep an emergency kit. It sounds paranoid until you’re stuck for four hours in sub-freezing temperatures or 90-degree heat because a tanker overturned. Water, a blanket, and a portable phone charger are non-negotiable.
Third, learn the "alternates" by heart. Know which exits lead to Route 9 or Route 32 without needing a map. When the cell towers get overloaded because thousands of people are suddenly on their phones in a traffic jam, your GPS might fail you. Local knowledge won't.
Lastly, give yourself a "buffer" zone. If you have a meeting or a flight, the "87 Factor" dictates you should leave 30 minutes earlier than the GPS says. On this road, the unexpected is the only thing you can actually count on.
Check the 511NY map one last time before you put the car in gear. If the line is red, stay home or take the train. It’s just not worth the stress.