ROYAL OAK (WWJ) -- Repair efforts are ongoing following an early-morning water main break that flooded portions of Woodward Avenue along the Royal Oak and Berkley border.
The incident began around 3 a.m. when an 8-inch water main ruptured near the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Catalpa Drive.
Despite the relatively small size of the pipe, the break released gallons of water across the northbound lanes of Woodward, with runoff spilling into the southbound lanes.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene, utilizing specialized vacuum trucks to clear standing water and debris from the roadway before pinpointing the precise location of the break.
To reach the compromised line, workers had to operate heavy machinery to dig through approximately six feet of concrete and soil.
"The cause of this pipe here? Old age," WWJ's Charlie Langton reported from the scene.
Traffic impacts were minimized following initial cleanup efforts, with crews reopening two northbound lanes of Woodward Avenue. Southbound traffic remained largely unaffected throughout the response.
Contractors expect repair work on the pipe and surrounding roadway to wrap up by the end of the day.
Get updates on WWJ: live and local on your favorite streaming apps and at AM 950 and 97.1 FM (HD2). >>LISTEN LIVE!!
