On Wednesday, Dec. 14, a water main break was reported along Monticello Avenue, behind the Federal Building at 200 Granby Street. Responding crews discovered a large main break with several buckles along the roadway, garage exits and slabs beneath the rail lines.
The Federal Building is the only building without access to water as a result of this incident.
The Tide light rail was stopped and bus bridges for riders were initiated from Harbor Park to EVMC. This will continue through early next week. In addition:
- Southbound Monticello Avenue is closed to through traffic until early next week between Freemason Street and City Hall Avenue.
- Access to MacArthur Center, Wells Theater, Governor’s School for the Arts and the NorVa remain open but under off-duty police control to limit access to work areas.
The City’s emergency contractor, Bridgeman Civil, was called in to handle repairs that will occur over the next several days. Rain this week will impact progress. Once the water main is repaired, a plan to fill the void left by the washout of soil will occur in phases. This will take several days because the fill, which contains concrete, must be placed in lifts and allowed time to cure. Repairs will be done in accordance with Hampton Roads Transit specifications and in line with city guidelines. Street parking will remain limited in the area to preserve spaces for Federal Building employees.