An 18-inch water main ruptured along Laurel Canyon Boulevard in the Studio City area early Thursday, forcing a closure of the critical artery during the morning rush hour and sending thousands of motorists scrambling for alternate routes between San Fernando Valley and the westside.
The ruptured main was reported around 7 a.m., according to the Department of Water and Power. 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.