Rob AriasWaking up to Helicopters circling above is never a good thing in our area. Emeryville released a rare Nixle Alert at about 6 a.m indicating the closure of San Pablo on 45th and 53rd due to a water line break. Drivers have been alerted to expect delays near 47th as traffic has been reduced to one lane in either direction.
The rupture was conspicuously close to the Emeryville Center of Community Life construction. “I haven’t heard the cause of the main break” noted Emeryville Public Works Director Maurice Kaufman. “I don’t believe it was due to any ongoing construction. The ECCL contractor has had an issue with groundwater on 47th Street that we have suspected as being a leaky water main”.
Rushing water on San Pablo Ave & 47th St in Emeryville. San Pablo blocked indefinitely. AC transit buses rerouted. pic.twitter.com/CqyfF6PZux
— Matt Keller (@MattKellerABC7) April 5, 2016
ABC 7 news is reporting that nearby Escuela Bilingue Internacional school has canceled classes for the day. EBMUD crews have been dispatched to the scene and hope to have the break repaired by 5 p.m. EBMUD officials expressed concern of the break possibly causing a sinkhole. Because this is breaking news, we will update this post as more information becomes available.
Crews still repairing broken water main in Emeryville-Just 1 lane open each direction on San Pablo Ave at 47th @KTVU pic.twitter.com/Csc2ibKvY4
— Alex Savidge (@AlexSavidgeKTVU) April 5, 2016
Feature Image: ABC7 reporter Matt Keller via Twitter.
Water line break closes parts of San Pablo Ave in Emeryville
By Emily Kirschenheuter
EMERYVILLE (KRON) — Authorities in Emeryville have closed San Pablo Ave between 45th and 53rd streets due to a water line break Tuesday morning.
The emergency road closure was put into effect around 5:37 a.m.
The streets are closed to all traffic in both directions.
Police are advising drivers to use alternative routes.
The Escuela Bilingüe Internacional school, located at 4550 San Pablo Avenue, has cancelled classes for the day.
Read more on KRON4.com →
Interesting to note that there was a subsequent water main break at 46th and Adeline on Tuesday afternoon, April 5, that took all night Tuesday to repair. There had been a water main break a block away from there 10 days earlier, at 45th and Linden. Is there a pattern here? What might be causing these?
I did speak with one city employee that suspected shutting down the first break may have indeed led to an increase in water pressure and caused the second rupture.