ALBANY, NY — Drivers in Albany are being told to steer clear of Bender Avenue and Krumkill Road after a crash forced police to shut down the surrounding area. The closure includes nearby roadways and has also affected access to the Route 85 exit.

The Albany Police Department is on scene managing the response. Officials have asked motorists to use other routes while the area remains blocked to traffic.

Police respond to crash near a busy Albany intersection

The crash is centered near Bender Avenue and Krumkill Road, a stretch where traffic can move quickly between neighborhood roads and larger connectors. Police did not immediately describe how many vehicles were involved or whether anyone was hurt.

What is clear is that the incident was serious enough to close the roadway network around the scene. For now, drivers approaching the area are being turned away as officers work to secure the location.

Emergency traffic restrictions like this can ripple beyond the immediate intersection. When a main crossing is blocked, delays often spread to nearby streets as motorists search for ways around the closure.

Route 85 exit also affected by the closure

In addition to the intersection itself, the Route 85 exit near the crash scene has been shut down. That makes the disruption broader than a single local street closure and adds another complication for commuters and through traffic.

Police have not said how long the exit will stay closed. Until it reopens, drivers who normally rely on that connection will need to plan for detours and extra travel time.

The closure underscores how one crash can affect traffic flow well beyond the immediate scene. A blocked exit can funnel more vehicles onto side roads and create backups in parts of the city that are not directly near the crash.

Albany Police Department remains on scene

The Albany Police Department is handling the response and controlling access in the area. Officers are urging drivers to avoid the location entirely rather than trying to get close to the scene.

Authorities have not released additional details about what led to the crash. They also have not said when the roadway will reopen, leaving the situation fluid for anyone traveling in west and northwest Albany.

For residents and commuters, the main instruction is simple: choose an alternate route. Police say the closure will remain in place while they continue their work at the scene.

What drivers in the area should expect

Motorists who normally travel through Bender Avenue, Krumkill Road, or the Route 85 exit should expect delays until the closure is lifted. The affected area remains closed to all traffic, which means drivers cannot pass through as usual.

People heading through Albany may want to build in extra time and watch for changes in local traffic patterns. Because officials have not given a reopening estimate, commuters should be ready for the disruption to last beyond the immediate response period.

Police are continuing to monitor the scene, and any reopening will depend on when the roadway is safe for vehicles again.

No timeline yet for reopening the roadway

As of the latest update, officials have not announced when the intersection or the Route 85 exit will reopen. The shutdown remains in place while police continue their response.

That leaves drivers with limited options other than detouring around the area. With the closure still active, anyone traveling nearby should check conditions before leaving and expect traffic changes in the surrounding neighborhoods.

For now, the key development is the ongoing road closure tied to the crash, which has interrupted traffic at one of the city’s connected travel points.