Repair crews will work through the night on a ruptured 18-inch water main along Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Studio City and plan to have lanes in both directions open by the morning drive Friday, according to the Department of Water and Power.
The ruptured main was reported about 7 a.m., Thursday, the DWP said. The resulting flood of water forced the closure of Laurel Canyon Boulevard between Mulholland Drive and Ventura Boulevard, according to the city Department of Transportation.
The closure turned the morning rush hour into a nightmare for scores of motorists, many of whom inched their way to Coldwater Canyon in search of an alternate route.
By late morning, DWP officials said repairs to the 18-inch water line were expected to be completed by early evening, but crews will then have to repair the damaged street and another closure was likely in the area of Ventura Boulevard.
One lane of Laurel Canyon Boulevard was reopened in either direction about 12:30 p.m., according to DWP spokeswoman Mia Rose Wong.
No customers experienced service disruptions because of the break, she said.