A culvert repair project is creating major headaches for drivers in Carmel, where a popular shortcut along Route 6N is now shut down for the next two months. Residents say the rollout has been anything but smooth.

“Today was chaos,” said Carmel resident Elisa Wilke.

The closure, which began this week, blocks both lanes of Route 6N as part of a New York State Department of Transportation project announced just one week ago. The road, frequently used as a quicker alternative to Route 6, is now forcing drivers to turn around — often at the last minute.

Residents say the biggest issue isn’t the construction itself, but a lack of clear signage warning drivers ahead of time.

“There was a school bus down here that had to turn around and they had no idea that there was a road closure,” Wilke said. “We were worried there was gonna be an accident.”

Drivers coming from both directions reported being caught off guard.

“I didn’t see anything until I got up and it says road closed,” said one driver visiting from Connecticut.

Others echoed that concern.

“I did not,” said another Carmel resident when asked if he noticed any warning signs.

Sparse detour signs are directing traffic onto the already busy Route 6. While the official detour adds about 15 minutes, many drivers never see the signs at all — leading to a steady stream of vehicles forced to turn around.

“It’s a good cut around for Route 6. It does save time,” said Jim Magnotta, of Carmel. “This is like an extra added bonus — which is now not.”

The confusion has led to safety concerns, especially for residents living along the route. Wilke says she even placed traffic cones in her driveway to stop drivers from attempting dangerous turnarounds.

“Very dangerous here, very dangerous,” she said. “I guess they don’t know what road closure means.”

News 12 has reached out to Carmel officials and the New York State Department of Transportation for comment. So far, there has been no response.