Drivers should avoid Gandy, Himes intersection as crews repair water main
TAMPA, Fla. - A water main break Thursday afternoon turned the busy intersection at Himes Avenue and Gandy Boulevard into a mess of dirt and asphalt. Officials are saying normal traffic patterns aren't expected to resume until noon on Saturday.
Drivers are being warned to find alternate routes, but not everyone is getting the message. There are detours for drivers, but frustrated police had to deal with several who ignored the barricades and tried to drive through the construction scene.
Meanwhile, businesses are worried about how the road closures will impact their holiday weekend.
The city of Tampa said a third party crew was doing work Thursday and accidentally drilled into a water line. The line was fixed that night, but a hole still needs to be filled in and paved over.
Water main break shuts down busy South Tampa intersection
A water main break has shut down a busy South Tampa intersection, and it could be awhile before it's back open. 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.
"One of the things that happens on the weekends is that we cannot access our sources for asphalt, especially on a holiday weekend," Sonia Quinones, with the Tampa Water Department, said.
This is obviously impacting drivers’ commutes.
Big Island Poke and Vino E Pasta say road closures make their businesses hard to access, a big blow heading into what would be a busy Easter weekend.
All travel lanes on South Himes Avenue are closed between West Hawthorne and West Marlin.
All lanes on West Gandy between South Dale Mabry and South Sherwood are also closed.
Crews in Tampa said they are expecting to reopen traffic in the area by noon on Saturday, April 16. Until then – expect detours.