Crews Work to Reopen Ventura Boulevard After Water Main Break
Crews are working to reopen a section of Ventura Boulevard by noon
Ted Chen and Kristopher Li
Traffic was getting back to normal Tuesday evening near Ventura Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon, following a massive overnight flood caused by a broken pipe
One lane was open in each direction on Ventura Boulevard through Studio City Tuesday afternoon after a water main break flooded a section of the popular east-west road. Officials expected the busy thoroughfare to be completely open by late night.
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Flooding at 12555 Ventura Blvd. closed the route between Whitsett and Coldwater Canyon in Sherman Oaks early Tuesday. Crews reopened one lane in each direction at about 9:45 a.m, but at least some lane closures were expected into the evening.
No structures were threatened and there were no evacuations or injuries, but access to businesses along the route was restricted. Water was restored to about 100 residences and businesses by late afternoon.
"We had to reschedule all the appointments because we have no water," said Leopoldo Cortez, of Eddy James Salon.
The flooding was first reported at 8:17 p.m. Monday and water came up through the sidewalk. The pipe, which was more than 80 years old, will be sent to a lab for analysis.
DWP officials say the cold temperatures could be a factor and more water main breaks are likely. Indeed, by late Tuesday afternoon, two smaller water main breaks were being fixed, also in the San Fernando Valley.
The second break occurred at about 4 a.m. on Ventura Boulevard at Lankershim. That's about three miles east of the earlier break.
Water was turned off to about 20 locations and one lane was closed on Ventura Boulevard near the second break.
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