Baltimore Weather | Water Main Breaks Near M&T Bank Stadium, Flood CSX Tracks
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Crews in Baltimore had to close down some roads Monday, and the effects could linger into Tuesday morning.
The Department of Public Works said the cascade of events began with a water main break, leading to flooding near M&T Bank Stadium stopped CSX trains in their tracks.
And later in the day a mile away, discoloration appeared in the Inner Harbor. DPW said it's likely the same water main break on Howard Street pushed sediment into the Inner Harbor. The side effects disrupted the evening commute.
The Department of Transportation was forced to close several roads around Howard Street.
Baltimore Mayor Jack Young said late Monday night crews were on scene conducting assessments and doing damage control to best determine how to safely resume regular Light Rail and CSX train service.
According to his office, these are the most updated road closures:
Pratt Street is closed from Paca to Sharp Streets
Traffic on inbound Russell Street cannot turn onto Pratt Street — motorist must continue to Baltimore Street or other routes. Traffic on West Pratt must turn left onto Paca Street.
Northbound I-395 is closed at Conway Street
Traffic inbound on I-395 cannot proceed North onto Howard Street — motorist must turn right onto Conway Street to Charles or Light Street.
Southbound Howard Street is closed from Lombard to Conway Street
Traffic destined for Southbound I-395 cannot use Lombard to Howard Street but can use Lombard to Light Street or Lombard to Sharp Street to Conway to I-395. Motorists should expect congestion in the Southwest portion of the central business district —area South of Fayette and West of Charles street.
Motorists are advised to avoid using west Pratt Street to enter downtown— and encouraged to use Mulberry or Baltimore Streets instead.
Motorists on the Northbound 295 (Russell Street) are advised to follow Paca Street to Mulberry (US 40) or Baltimore Street.
Motorists on inbound I-395 are advised to follow Conway Street to Charles or Light Street.
These closures will significantly affect traffic in the downtown area, as Howard Street is a main route for commuters trying to access I-395. Citizens are strongly encouraged to avoid this portion of downtown Baltimore until further notice and to use alternate routes away from the affected area.
The problems got even worse when a man working underground near the convention center fell deeper into a manhole.
Crews Rescue Baltimore DOT Employee Trapped In Manhole Downtown
The man was able to climb out but as crews investigated why that happened
"So I've been in the bus for about an hour and I'm just getting to my destination," said Anthony Bashir.
MTA had to stop Light Rail service between North Avenue and Camden Yards and put people on shuttles instead.
"You got to sit here and wait for the buses to load up before they can move, so I might as well walk my two blocks," said Denice Love, Baltimore commuter.
"By the time I got to the train station, the buses were there," added Andrew Harper.
Officials said the main can't be fixed until they locate the exact location of the break.
The water main break may also be the cause of some discoloration in the Inner Harbor.
RELATED COVERAGE:
- Maryland Weather: Flood Warnings, Watches Extended
- Roads Underwater In Frederick After Flash Flooding
- Visible Discoloration Of Baltimore's Inner Harbor May Be Due To Water Main Break
- Flooding Causes Amtrak Trains To Stop Between D.C. And New Carrollton
- Water Main Breaks Near M&T Bank Stadium, Flood CSX Tracks
Several other areas of Maryland were also affected by flooding due to heavy rains.
A reported 25 water rescues were made in Montgomery County where motorists got stranded in high waters near the Potomac River and even a home collapsed after a mudslide. There was also a large sinkhole reported in Potomac.
In Frederick, several roads washed away or were flooded and unusable.
And Canal Street near Georgetown in Washington DC also flooded Monday morning as well as other areas into Northern Virginia.
The Light Rail in Baltimore is still closed between North and Camden Yards as crews still try to figure out if the water main break caused problems including the manhole incident.
