Hawley Road reopens ahead of schedule following water main break

Updated: 8:13 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2020

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- There's good news for drivers in the Miller Park area.

Hawley Road near I-94 is back open Friday, Jan. 10. 

The northbound lane and a ramp to I-94 had been closed for almost two weeks because of a huge water main break in that area.

The original date to reopen the road was Monday, but crews worked overtime to get it done ahead of the snow storm.

------

Posted: 6:23 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2020

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- People who live along water-damaged Hawley Road now know when the barricades will finally come down. 

The road has been closed for ten days, after a massive water main break damaged the road, homes and cars.

The water main break partially closed Hawley Road for the last week and a half. Some homes even suffered structural damage.

On Tuesday, Mayor Tom Barrett announced that the road will reopen on Monday, Jan. 13.

The mayor says a 16-inch water main broke the morning of Dec. 28 and caused extensive damage to homes and cars.

So far, the city has been in contact with 37 people who were affected, but no claims have officially been filed against the city.

Mayor Barrett says the last remaining pipe is now being installed. The water main was installed in the 1960's and officials say there are much older ones within the city.

City leaders say they're still investigating what caused the water main to break, and they say it's unusual for something like this to happen.

"It's important to find out what resulted in the huge traumatic break in our water system," said Ald. Michael Murphy. "This is fairly unprecedented to have a water main of this size break, and obviously the resulting damage had a very serious impact on residents here on the west side."

Ald. Murphy says the city has a claims process they want homeowners to use if their property was damaged from the water main break.

He's holding an informational meeting on Thursday, Jan. 9.