Local
Md.’s River Road reopens after water main break
By: Kathleen Miller
Examiner Staff Writer
January 1, 2009
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| Parts of River Road were reopened Wednesday night, eight days after a water main exploded trapping motorists. (Andrew Harnik/Examiner) |
Leaders of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission initially hoped to have the major traffic artery between Bradley Boulevard and Seven Locks Road up and running by last weekend, but engineers discovered three pipes with lateral cracks that needed to be replaced in addition to the one that ruptured. A fifth pipe had to be removed to reach another pipe for repair.
Water utility spokesman John C. White told The Examiner earlier this week it was “certainly a bigger problem than” initially thought. “This is a major job,” White said.
Some of the 16-foot-long replacement pipes had to be shipped from out of state, delaying repair efforts. The water utility that serves Montgomery and Prince George’s counties initially set aside $510,000 for repairs, but had to appropriate extra money over the weekend, putting repair estimates at $1.3 million
Crews replaced a total of 80 feet of pipe and planned to backfill the hole Wednesday.
Water officials cautioned drivers that although roads will be open to traffic, crews will still be working in the area and commuters could experience some traffic flagging operations as the work continues.
The investigation into the cause of the break continues and is expected to take several weeks.
Tensions run high on the water utility board, where commissioners from Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties have been deadlocked for a year over how to fund the replacement of decaying infrastructure and even who to appoint as general manager — the position has been vacant since the end of February.
Montgomery County Council members Nancy Floreen and George Leventhal said Wednesday that discussions are under way about how to break the “stalemate” between the two counties, including whether to split the system.
“I do think it’s true that this marriage is not working and we need a divorce,” Leventhal said. “In the short term though, we have urgent issues. We can’t afford any more situations like this.”
Leventhal said immediate options include asking the governor and state legislature to put the utility in “receivorship” or appoint a seventh, neutral member to the water board who can break the deadlock between the two counties.
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- Md.’s River Road reopens after water main break
