UPDATE: Water main break shuts down traffic along Bouquet Canyon Road

Water crews work to move debris from a water main break near Bouqet Canyon Road and Newhall Ranch Road on May 11, 2017. (Austin Dave/The Signal)
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A water main break stopped traffic along the southbound lanes of Bouquet Canyon Road between Newhall Ranch Road and Lowes Plaza in Saugus.

Officials from the Santa Clarita Valley Sherriff’s Station said the break was causing the road to buckle and a sinkhole to form.

The water main break was reported to officials shortly after noon on Thursday.

A 14-inch water line belonging to Valencia Water Company broke, causing crews to dig up the section of road in which a sinkhole formed.

Water crews work to secure pavement after a water main break near Bouquet Canyon Road and Newhall Ranch Road on May 11, 2017. (Austin Dave/The Signal)

Crews are shooting to fully reopen the road by midday Friday, said General Manager Ken Petersen of the water retailer.

Their crews and contractors will be working through the night to repair the water line and patch the road, according to a notice released by the city.

“The leak occurred and we had it shut off within 20 minutes, which is phenomenal (short),” Petersen said.

Only Starbucks experienced a longer service interruption, it took crews about an hour to restore water to the coffee retailer, he said.

The cause of the pipe break, built in 1992, is under investigation Petersen said.

Referring to it as a “young” pipe, Petersen said Thursday that the break did not appear to be a result of a defect with the pipe itself. He suspects the break may have been related to the condition of ground area it was laid into, although said it is too soon to know the cause.

Water crews work to move debris from a water main break near Bouquet Canyon Road and Newhall Ranch Road on May 11, 2017. (Austin Dave/The Signal)

Officials from the Los Angeles County Fire Department were on scene at 12:21 p.m. for reported flooding in the area, according to Inspector Richard Licon with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“They said that the asphalt was rising up and some bubbling in the road,” Licon said.

Officers from the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station were called to the scene shortly after for traffic control and Valencia Water Company was also dispatched to the scene.

Their crews and contractors will be working through the night to repair the water line and patch the road, according to a notice released by the city.

Buses will be detoured in the meanwhile.

The bus stop at Bouquet/Newhall Ranch on Santa Clarita Transit route 14 is the only stop closed because of the water main break. Riders are asked to plan on boarding at Bouquet/Espuella.

Also, bus Route 502 is affected and cannot serve the stops at southbound Bouquet/Newhall and eastbound Soledad/Bouquet.

For updates on transit routes please follow Santa Clarita Transit on Twitter @SCTBus.

[email protected]

661-287-5575
On Twitter as @_ChristinaCox_

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