TAMPA, Fla. — A water main break has shut down a busy south Tampa intersection, and it could be awhile before it's back open.
According to the Tampa Water Department, the break happened Thursday afternoon on West Gandy Blvd. near South Himes Ave.
For drivers, it'll mean having to find a detour and for a few businesses, it could mean thousands of dollars lost on a busy weekend.
What You Need To Know
- Water main break near Gandy Blvd and Hime Ave in Tampa
- Major interruption for drivers, local business owners in area
- Repairs to take several days, until at least nect Tuesday
- Bay News 9 Real Time Traffic Map
Barricades are set up and heavy machinery are on site for crews to continue working on that main break.
Himes Ave is closed between West Hawthorne Road and West Marlin Ave. West Gandy closed from South Dale Mabry Hwy to South Sherwood Ave.
The Tampa Water Department expects repairs to take until at least next Tuesday.
Repairing these water and sewage pipes across Tampa has been a focal point of Mayor Jane Castor's infrastructure effort to "modernize" city streets.
That effort is expected to begin this summer with different projects across Tampa.
Deputy Administrator of Infrastructure Brad Baird said getting supplies has been a challenge.
"Asphalt is very difficult to get on a holiday weekend,” Baird said. “But we have already made arrangements to make that happen. So we are hopeful that if everything goes well through the night tonight sometime late tomorrow we can get this intersection opened."
Officials said once the intersection does re-open crews may have to go back out and perform additional work on the pipe.