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Freeze-Thaw Cycle Being Blamed In Oakland Water Main Break

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The freeze-thaw cycle is being blamed for causing a large water main break in Oakland that's causing a lot of headaches for drivers.

Normally busy with four lanes of traffic all day, Forbes Avenue has been shut down since Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority crews arrived at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.

"[They] discovered that one of our 20-inch water mains had indeed broke," said Brendan Schubert, a spokesman for the PWSA.

Gushing water has been replaced by a more controlled flow, but a flow nonetheless. They've been challenged trying to get the water off to start the repairs.

"There was some specialized equipment that was necessary to make this particular repair," says Schubert.

Also, they've had to dig other holes and install valves to isolate the broken area.

Meanwhile, 19,000 vehicles a day are being detoured at Craig Street.

Two lanes of traffic turning into a single lane doesn't happen easily, and mixed into the detour are Port Authority buses.

"They are going to see some delays," says Port Authority spokesman Jim Ritchie. "We're going to have buses detouring up onto Fifth Avenue, and that causes delays of 15 to 20 minutes in some cases."

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The Water Authority says the detours are going to be effect at least through the day Thursday as repairs continue.

If you don't want to get caught in the Craig Street mess, you can turn left on Bellfield Avenue. It will still be congested, but at least it's an alternative, or, you can just avoid the area all together.

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