[RP TownTalk] in case you haven't heard, you may want to avoid Riggs/University area of Langley Park

[Dwight Holmes]

file under "crumbling infrastructure, cont'd"...

" like an earthquake hit, with six lanes of pavement, 12 cars long,
crumbling and buckled."

Riggs Road is covered in mud.

Water main break closes part of Riggs Rd., University Blvd.
July 16, 2008 - 11:45am
(WTOP Photo/Kristi King)

A water main break caused the pavement to buckle as if an earthquake
hit at the corner of Riggs Road and University Boulevard in Langley
Park. (WTOP Photo/Kristi King).

LANGLEY PARK, Md. -- A portion of Riggs Road could reopen Wednesday
afternoon after a 24-inch water main break shut down Riggs at
University Boulevard during the morning commute.

Rushing water from the break this morning did a lot of damage and has
closed parts of the well-traveled commuter routes.

The eastbound lanes on University Boulevard are closed from Riggs Road
to 23rd Avenue. Drivers on eastbound University Boulevard must turn on
to Riggs Road. The westbound lanes are open.

Riggs Road is closed in both directions in the area. Southbound Riggs
Road must turn right on to University Boulevard. Northbound Riggs Road
must turn on to Drexel Road.

Crews are working to reopen one lane on Riggs Road southbound for the
evening rush hour.

WTOP's Kristi King, who is on the scene, describes it looking like an
earthquake hit, with six lanes of pavement, 12 cars long, crumbling
and buckled.

Riggs Road is covered in mud.

On one side of the road, crews have hit water and will have to create
and clear a hole big enough to see where the pipe is broken.

The water main is 58 years old. Since 1999, there have been four other
breaks along this pipe.

A pavement cutter has arrived on the scene, which will allow crews to
get underground to the pipe. Crews do not know how long the repairs
will take until they are able to get under the pavement.

They know where the pipe is broken, but the repairs will not be easy
ones to make, says Mike McGill, spokesman for the Washington Suburban
Sanitary Commission.

The water is off for five customers accounts in the area. Those
customers include a nearby strip mall, a Shell station and the Riggs
Hills condominiums.

(Copyright 2008 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

LANGLEY PARK, Md. -- A portion of Riggs Road could reopen Wednesday
afternoon after a 24-inch water main break shut down Riggs at
University Boulevard during the morning commute.

Rushing water from the break this morning did a lot of damage and has
closed parts of the well-traveled commuter routes.

The eastbound lanes on University Boulevard are closed from Riggs Road
to 23rd Avenue. Drivers on eastbound University Boulevard must turn on
to Riggs Road. The westbound lanes are open.

Riggs Road is closed in both directions in the area. Southbound Riggs
Road must turn right on to University Boulevard. Northbound Riggs Road
must turn on to Drexel Road.

Crews are working to reopen one lane on Riggs Road southbound for the
evening rush hour.

WTOP's Kristi King, who is on the scene, describes it looking like an
earthquake hit, with six lanes of pavement, 12 cars long, crumbling
and buckled.

Riggs Road is covered in mud.

On one side of the road, crews have hit water and will have to create
and clear a hole big enough to see where the pipe is broken.

The water main is 58 years old. Since 1999, there have been four other
breaks along this pipe.

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