A section of Esquimalt Road between Lampson and Head streets is expected to reopen Saturday afternoon when City of Victoria crews wrap up water-main repairs.
City of Victoria crews were on site Saturday morning, waiting for a road mix delivery so that final paving work could be completed.
A worker with Victoria’s road department who was on scene Saturday morning said the water-main failure had been fixed and the road is expected open around 3 p.m. The street was shut down closed about noon Friday.
“We’re waiting on our plant to finish making [road] mix. It only makes mix a certain amount per hour,” said the worker, who did not want to give his name.
Crews from Victoria worked until Friday midnight, he said, adding that the city’s mixing plant was fired up about 3 a.m. Saturday so that there would be enough road mix for the affected section.
The foreman said that the water-main break occurred on the eastbound side of Esquimalt road and caused “alligator fractures” and water spillage on the westbound side.
“Water needs a place to go, and it ended up going down there,” he said.
Water supply to residences was restored Friday night, he said.
Neighbouring streets are experiencing heavier traffic due to the closure of the thoroughfare.
Buses 15 and 25 are detouring via Lampson and Head until the roadwork is complete.
Esquimalt spokesperson Tara Zajac said in a statement Friday that the municipality was managing traffic flow and would be co-ordinating updates with the City of Victoria.
Local traffic will be allowed to use Esquimalt Road, she said.
Joel Clary, Esquimalt’s director of engineering and public works, said the City of Victoria maintains and repairs water pipes in Esquimalt under a longstanding agreement between the two municipalities. “They’ll be the lead and we’ll be supporting,” Clary said.
Esquimalt’s public works division will be involved with any road-restoration work, he said.
