Fort Worth is replacing century-old water pipes, and traffic is about to feel it.
Crews have begun the two-year project of swapping out massive cast iron water mains in western Downtown Fort Worth, and it's expected to disrupt several major roads. 85% of the city's annual water main breaks come from these aging pipes. Some of the pipes are over 100 years old, and city officials say they don’t even have records for how old some of them are.
"Everybody may remember August of 23 when we had a major water main break at Collier St. in West Lancaster, and that was a real driver behind this project," said Mary Gugliuzza, Fort Worth Water Utility's communications coordinator.
That incident caused roads and businesses to flood. City officials also shared that the February 2021 freeze also contributed to the push since it caused widespread pipe bursts.
The first phase of construction, impacting Florence St., West 13th St., West Lancaster, and Collier St., is expected to last for six months. Officials are warning residents to check the city’s website frequently for road closure updates.
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