Forbes Ave. Water Main Break Repairs Plagued By Another Setback
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There's been another setback for crews repairing Forbes Avenue in Oakland.
The busy road was damaged by a water main break weeks ago, and now the reopening has been pushed back once again.
It's a water main break unlike any other, plagued with issues and an undermined major road, and now comes word the disruption is going to last even longer.
For drivers it means playing follow the leader on one lane South Craig Street.
Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority wound up having to relocate the 20-inch water main that broke. It's work that culminated Wednesday with the cranking of valves.
"Today we were able to get the water line in service ahead of schedule, and we are working now to reconstruct the road," said PWSA's Brendan Schubert.
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But that is no small job.
Forbes Avenue is a gaping hole, symmetrically cut, but a hole nonetheless. So, first they must backfill and gravel everything to create a base, and then the road must be poured.
We're talking about almost a foot of concrete over a large area before it's topped by asphalt.
"We're going to be working 24-7 to get the road open," said Schubert.
But concrete doesn't cure instantly, so as it stands right now, PWSA doesn't want to set another reopening deadline.
"By Wednesday, we'll have a detailed timeline of when the road will be reopened," Schubert said.
