FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth's busy University Drive was shut down in both directions Friday after a water main break buckled the pavement.
At University and Park Hill drives, the pavement was rippled through the intersection after water pushed to the surface. For some time, water pooled in the intersection, swamping yards and forcing City workers into knee-deep water, according to witnesses.
"There was like two to three feet of water coming up on our barrier here," said Forest Moore, a resident in an apartment complex located right at the break.
Moore snapped photographs showing cars attempting to pass through the high water. That was before authorities could respond to shut down the intersection and attempt to seal it off.
Friday afternoon, work crews were busy digging up the pavement.
"It's a 24-inch water main," said City spokesperson Mary Gugliuzza. "We have no idea what caused this main break, but there are lots of factors – pressure, soil conditions. There's just lots of factors that can contribute."
There was no estimate for the amount of water that was released, but it was enough to overwhelm storm drains for some time. The current was visible in aerial footage, and the intersection was littered with rock and silt that was swept up from under the asphalt.
City crews will work round-the-clock to seal off the leak, but the good news was that they expected water service to have limited or potentially no disruption from the leak.
"We don't think anyone will be without water while we make the repair," Gugliuzza said. "There were probably customers who experienced a drop in pressure because of the break, but once it's isolated the pressure builds back up in the system and they should be fine."
After the leak is repaired, work will begin on the road. That fix could take several days, so drivers should plan alternate routes or take detours that are already posted.
The City said that during their last traffic study five years ago, some 20,000 cars passed through the area on an average weekday.
"I can only imagine how many people are going to suffer in their work commute for the next couple of days," Moore said.
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