Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood was partly reopened Saturday night after crews repaired a 100-year-old water main that ruptured and washed out the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
One lane was reopened in each direction between La Cienega Boulevard and Sweetzer Avenue.
Motorists were driving through a patch that was set in place while the ground filler dried, a 48-hour process. The road was expected to be repaved Tuesday, the LADWP said.
The rupture happened at 2:18 p.m. Friday on Sunset Boulevard near Olive Drive, when a 36-inch pipe broke and sent water rushing out at an estimated 9,600 gallons per minute. The water was shut off about four hours later.
County and city fire crews used sandbags to divert water from structures.
“We have about two to three leaks a day, but usually not on the large mains like this one," said Mark Lucero, the superintendent of the LADWP's Western District, where the West Hollywood main break occurred.
The pipe was coated with cement in 1957 to protect it from corrosion and extend its life, officials said.
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The road closure also affected businesses along the strip. Visitors said they were also inconvenienced.
"I feel a lot of pressure to get this done quickly, we’re affecting a lot of people. We want to have good customer service, and things like this is bad us,” Lucero said.
