The area under the pavement on left has been washed out by the flow of water from the busted pipe. A section of Main Street's eastbound lane remains closed on Monday afternoon.
It took hours before crews were able to close the gates and divert the water away from the pipe.
Main Street was undermined along the sidewalk area by the water flow.
A small but deep sinkhole developed on Veazie Street as well.
Update at 3:40 p.m.: DPW workers have been able to open the gates to divert water away from the busted high-pressure under Main Street.
Water had to be turned off for one section Main Street (iBerkshires' and the bank) on Monday afternoon but we and others affected by the loss of water should see it return shortly. The road will continue to be closed at least until evening; the BRTA is picking up passengers at the entrance to the former K-mart parking lot on Main Street.
Crews are digging out where the pipe is broken to see if it needs to be replaced or patched. However, Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau said there will be some significant repairs to fix the road damage.
Water saturated a good part of Main Street and undermined several areas during the six hours or so before it could be diverted. Once the pipe is repaired, the pavement will have to pulled up on the eastbound section in front of the L-shaped mall and along the sidewalk all the way up to the iBerkshires offices.
Once crews were able to empty the pool of water above the pipe, it was apparent the fill underneath the pavement over to the sidewalk had washed out. Lescarbeau said areas on the other side of the street may also require repair.
He estimated that the work could costs in the tens of thousands of dollars depending on what the DPW finds when it digs up the pavement.
A sinkhole also opened up at the top of Veazie Street just below the intersection with Myers Avenue early Monday afternoon. Traffic on the dead-end Myers Avenue is being rerouted over Frederick Street to Houghton Street.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Main Street's eastbound lane remains closed between American Legion Drive and the entrance to the parking lot as the Department of Public Works continues to deal with a water main break.
The high pressure line that fills the tank at the top of East Main Street Extension sent water flooding across the west end of Main Street early this morning.
Water was bubbling up in front of the L-shaped mall near the former Sleepy's and washed across street in front of the Richmond Grille around 8-8:30, surprising commuters as they turned onto the main drag.
Water Department and DPW workers shut off connections around the area to stop the deluge but water has continued to stream out of a hole dug in the middle of the lane to get to the break.
Main Street businesses have not been significantly affected and remain open. Residences on the east end that are dependent on the tank have been affected.
Crews are preparing to pump out the overflowing hole in hopes to find the broken pipe and repair it.
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