Milwaukee downtown intersection could reopen to streetcar, traffic by Saturday after water main break

From the article:

A downtown water main break that has interrupted traffic and Milwaukee streetcar service for a week could be addressed by Saturday, according to the city.

The water main break near East Wisconsin Avenue and North Broadway on Aug. 30 caused serious damage to the underground electrical system and forced the closure of North Broadway between Wisconsin Avenue and Mason Street.

Milwaukee County Transit System buses will continue free service along the line for the streetcar, known as The Hop, while repairs continue.

Some of the bus stops differ slightly from the streetcar's regular stations. A map of temporary bus stops can be found at TheHopMKE.com.

Milwaukee Water Works leaders expect the western half of the intersection to be restored by the end of the day Thursday, allowing some traffic and streetcar service to resume as early as Friday, according to a statement from the department.

Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Patrick Pauly in a statement called the water main repairs "uniquely challenging."

The section of east-west water main that failed was installed in 1872 and released about 1.6 million gallons of water, according to the department.

Among the challenges to fixing the break were the presence of utility infrastructure at the intersection and the need to install 60 feet of new water main close to existing facilities, according to the department.

The streetcar tracks were not damaged, but engineers recommended installing a temporary structure under them for safety reasons after the lost water created a void under part of the track zone.

After the water main is fixed, crews will have to backfill the site and pour new concrete to restore the street, according to the department.