Piermont Police closed the part of Route 9W near Tappan Zee Elementary school from approximately 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday morning due to an unsteady telephone pole.

"What happened is it's been weakening," Piermont Police Chief Michael O'Shea said. "It was swaying and the officer on patrol said this is going to fall and could potentially crush somebody. We closed 9W. We had South Nyack close everything northbound. One of our patrols closed it down at Hickey Street. We diverted school traffic into the south lots so they would be safe."

Orange & Rockland Utilities temporarily stabilized the pole and were working on replacing it Friday afternoon.