Western Boulevard expected to remain closed to traffic until Wednesday, Raleigh says
The city of Raleigh said access to Western Boulevard at the Interstate 440 Beltline will reopen by Wednesday, according to a news release.
The city reported that repair work is expected to be done by Friday at 10 p.m. But access to one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares won’t be available until Wednesday, the city said Friday.
Motorists should avoid the area, officials say. Those who drive near the intersection in the western part of the city will be diverted.
“Construction schedules are subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen conditions,” the city said Friday.
A broken water pipe flooded the area under the bridges on Wednesday following a storm. But city utilities workers have not identified a cause for the break.
To repair the broken pipe, workers first had to drain the water that had pooled under the Beltline on Wednesday. Then, they had to dig through 3 1/2 feet of asphalt and a concrete slab to reach the pipe. They will replace that material and repave the surface before the road can reopen.
Some homes and apartments on either side of the I-440 interchange lost water service after the city closed valves leading to the break, but the city said Friday that additional service interruptions aren’t expected.
The interchange is under construction as part of a project to widen the Beltline, but NCDOT said work was not done Wednesday due to rain.
This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Western Boulevard expected to remain closed to traffic until Wednesday, Raleigh says."
