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Western Boulevard at I-440 reopens in Raleigh, ending week-long closure due to water main break

Western Boulevard at I-440 reopened Wednesday afternoon. The road had been closed since Jan. 4.
Posted 2023-01-04T21:02:33+00:00 - Updated 2023-01-11T22:55:55+00:00
Western Boulevard at I-440 reopens in Raleigh

Western Boulevard at Interstate 440 has reopened Wednesday afternoon, ending a week-long closure due to a water main break.

One of the busiest intersections in Raleigh had been closed since Wednesday, Jan. 4, near Blue Ridge Road, after the road flooded due to a major water main break.

Initially, the city said the road would reopen Monday, but the city cited poor weather, including temperature swings and rain for the delay while noting construction schedules can change.

The break caused heavy flooding, buckled roads and detoured traffic.

The road had been closed between Blue Ridge Road and Chaney Road as crews work on the repairs, but a contractor for the project said the route should be open by the Wednesday evening commute.

Raleigh Public Utilities on Tuesday said good progress was made after the work was delayed because it had been too cold to lay asphalt overnight. After the road is paved, it takes hours to cool so it can withstand heavier vehicles.

Lows plunged into the 20s and 30s Monday night.

"In short, you usually cannot put down asphalt in temperatures below 40 degrees," said Edward Buchan from Raleigh Water. "Once the paving is complete, it has to cool for a number of hours before it is suitable for heavy vehicles such as tractor trailers to drive on it without damaging it, so that also contributes to the longer than usual opening time, as compared to a neighborhood street which would be ready much faster."

Sky 5 flew over the interchange last week, showing the massive hole where rushing water gathered on Wednesday. Crews said the pressure of the water buckled the pavement.

The force of the water seriously damaged asphalt laid down just months ago when the intersection was converted to a diverging diamond interchange. That ongoing construction is dealing with one more hurdle.

All traffic on Western Boulevard was getting diverted onto the I-440 Beltline in both directions. Detours were in place and drivers should seek alternate routes.

There is no word on the cause of the water main break.

Some people living in the area temporarily lost water service after the break.

Jack Susman lives nearby and told WRAL he got his water back at 2 a.m. Thursday. He said it has been frustrating living through all the construction at the new intersection, and the water main break complicates things further.

City leaders were also hearing reports of low pressure in some nearby areas, which is likely due to debris from the break interfering with the screens on the water meters.

Crews are digging through the brand new pavement to try and isolate where the leak is coming from.

WRAL News received reports of nearby townhouses without water due to the break. A Raleigh Water spokesperson said it was the townhouse community near the intersection of Blue Ridge Road and Western Boulevard along with some houses off of Method Road.

There's no exact estimate for how much this is going to cost taxpayers in the city of Raleigh.

The last break on this scale, at Glenwood Avenue near Crabtree mall just over two years ago, had a final bill of about $1 million. Raleigh Water estimates we could be in that ballpark for this issue as well.

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