Chicago Water Main Break - Update, Interesting Tidbits....

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Sorry I couldn't post this morning -- was very busy today, but let me give you a groundside view of the situation:

Water filled a 1 block stretch of Wells St. (N-S) between Adams St. and Jackson Blvd. (E-W), as well a 1/2 blk. north of Adams St. (The main was quickly shut off manually about 1 hour later -- vs. 5 hrs. later in Cleveland).

The water was as deep a one foot in sections.

The Chicago Transit Authority's 'Loop EL' (elevated rapid rail system) travels over Wells St. The Quincy station is a historic station recently renovated. The 'EL' is over 100 years old. CTA crews have the heavy equipment on hand to hold the structure up (in case it is needed) until utility repairs can be complete. Trains are being rerouted around the west loop area for the next couple of days. The Purple Line will not run the evening rush.

At the height of the flood, a gaping sinkhole developed at Wells and Quincy (Quincy is a small side street halfway between Adams and Jackson). A tow truck and the car it was towing away from the flood scene fell in. This area is 50' either way from the main structural support system of the 'EL' line.

The CBOT is one block east and one block south of the flooded area; however the Chicago Federal Reserve building borders Wells at Jackson....

FYI....

-- Mello1 (Mello1@ix.netcom.com), February 07, 2000

Answers

Mello 1-- Nice to have a first hand report.

-- Pam (jpjgood@penn.com), February 07, 2000.

Isn't that what shut down the CBOE today?

-- Scooter (brucej@infoave.net), February 07, 2000.

Thanks Mello1 for the report!

[ Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only ]

http://www.vny.com/cf/News/upidetail.cfm?QID=62717

Water main break snarls Chicago traffic

Monday, 7 February 2000 17:03 (ET)

CHICAGO, Feb. 7 (UPI) - A Loop water main ruptured Monday, snarling street traffic and forcing transit officials to re-route elevated trains.

City officials warned the commuting headaches would continue at least through Tuesday.

The break occurred shortly after 8 a.m. beneath the intersection of Quincy and Wells, sending gallons of water coursing through the streets. The rupture caused a section of pavement to collapse. A car and tow truck fell into the hole. No injuries were reported.

Water Department officials worked throughout the day Monday to determine why the 36-inch main ruptured. Speculation centered on weather being the cause. It took workers about an hour to seal the break, which sent as much as 8 inches of water into streets in a four-block area.

Surrounding buildings suffered no apparent damage, unlike 1992 when the Chicago River broke through the city's underground tunnel system, flooding basements, cutting off electricity and forcing the central business district to shut down for days.
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-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), February 07, 2000.


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