Water off, traffic diverted through Saturday after water main break on Raleigh's Wade Ave.

It could be Saturday afternoon or later before water service and traffic are restored on a major east-west thoroughfare through Raleigh.

A water main break Friday prompted police to close Wade Avenue between Faircloth Street and Dogwood Lane. About a dozen homes were without water, according to Ed Buchan, a spokesman for the city, and repairs are expected to stretch into Saturday.

The water main break sent gallons of gushing water down Wade Avenue just before noon on Friday.

The break was quickly isolated and crews began excavation work immediately to repair the line. After that, they will need to repave the road, a process Buchan said would not begin until Saturday morning.

Westbound traffic on Wade Avenue was being forced to make a left at Dixie Trail, right onto Ruffin Street, right onto Faircloth Street, and a left to return to Wake Avenue.

Eastbound traffic was being diverted right onto Faircloth Street, left onto Ruffin Street, left onto Dixie Trail, and a right onto Wade Avenue.

Aerial views from SKY 5 showed traffic gridlock around surrounding streets because of the water main break.