Jan 23, 2008 7:00 am US/Central
Montrose Avenue Closed After Pavement Collapses
Water Main Break Brought Flood, Followed By Vast Collapse
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A half-mile stretch of Montrose Avenue remains closed Wednesday to repair a vast crater left by a water main break, which city officials say it will take at least a week to repair.
Montrose Avenue is closed between Damen and Ashland avenues, and the No. 78 Montrose bus is still being rerouted.
The 36-inch main burst early Tuesday morning. It caused a rapid torrent cresting at 4 feet to flood the street. The water inundated homes and businesses.
The CTA Brown Line 'L' stop at Montrose was temporarily closed. It reopened before the morning rush began, but the damage had hardly ended.
The water main break caused a 25-by-50 foot section of the roadway to collapse, leaving a 15-foot crater in the street that took down trees and lamp posts and left the vaulted sidewalk looking like a staircase.
At least eight businesses have been shut down as a result of the sinkhole. The city has already hired a demolition company to examine the El Torito Mexican restaurant at Montrose Avenue and Honore Street, to determine if workers repairing the water main are at risk of being crushed if the building collapses.
Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th) said the affected businesses will get support, as will businesses that suffer from reconstruction over at least the next five days.
There has not been an official ruling on what caused the water main break, but city Department of Water Management spokesman Tom LaPorte said the recent fluctuation in temperature, and the fact that the water main was at least 80 years old, were the most likely factors.
Repairs will take at least a week, department officials said.
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