Portions of Valencia and 26th streets in the Mission District are again closed to vehicle traffic this afternoon after crews working to repair a broken water main encountered old Muni tracks and utility lines that slowed their work, officials said.The streets will remain closed until late tonight or tomorrow morning, said Public Utilities Commission spokesman Tony Winnicker.
The busy intersection was shut down for about three hours this morning after the 80-year-old water main broke around 4 a.m., gushing water onto the street and sidewalk. Crews were able to reopen northbound Valencia Street in time for the morning commute and had hoped to reopen the southbound lane by the afternoon, said Winnicker, but work has been slowed by the unexpected infrastructure discovered under 26th Street.
Winnicker said crews have removed the broken section of pipe and are working to replace it, but the unforeseen amount of excavation work forced the utility to close the streets. Both lanes of Valencia Street near 26th Street are closed, he said, and the block of 26th Street between Valencia and Guerrero streets also remains shut to vehicle traffic. Muni buses are being allowed through the area, however.
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