Update: Avoid Commuter Nightmare & Downtown Greenwich on Friday

Update: 11 p.m.
Avoid using central Greenwich at all costs during Friday morning's commute — that's the advice from Greenwich Police who say repairs to a broken major water main just off Exit 3 of I-95 will impact commuters' ride into town.

The repairs at the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Arch Street originally were projected by officials to be completed within six to eight hours after crews arrived at the scene late afternoon. The break originally was discovered by a Greenwich Police patrolman about 2 p.m. Thursday.

Late Thursday evening, Greenwich Police using the reverse 911 system issued an alert announcing that the roads surrounding the area would remain closed through the Friday morning rush hour. 

Rail commuters who usually use the Greenwich Metro-North station are advised to use alternate stations and road commuters are advised to use either Exit 2 or 4 of I-95 as alternates to Exit 3. Meanwhile, police said that they expected the Exit 3 ramp to be reopened by midnight Thursday into Friday.

Warming temperatures after the extreme cold of the last several days are suspected of causing the ground to heave and rupturing the eight-inch main, according to an Aquarion Water Company spokesman.

Road closures:
All southbound traffic for Arch Street is being detoured at Greenwich Avenue.
All southbound traffic headed for Soundview Drive is detoured at Field Point Road.
All traffic that wants to head westbound from Greenwich Avenue onto Railroad is being detoured.

Here is the advisory from Greenwich Police:

"This intersection is the second busiest intersection in Greenwich and is in the area of I-95 Exit #3 and the Greenwich Railroad Station.  Water company crews are at the scene now and repairs are underway.

Most approaches to the intersection are currently closed and we have just been advised that they will remain that way overnight and through the morning rush hour period tomorrow.  Detour routes have been established however traffic congestion downtown, especially in the areas of Exit #3 and the Greenwich Railroad Station, will be significant on Friday morning.  Motorists and commuters are advised to avoid this area.  Drivers should consider using Exits 2 and 4 as alternate ways to access I-95.  Rail commuters may want to consider using alternate Metro-North Stations for drop-offs and pickups.  If you must travel through this area, you are advised to allow plenty of extra time tomorrow morning."

 And here's a Greenwich Police video of the scene. 

Update: 4:10 p.m.
Aquarion Water Co. says they are beginning excavation of the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Arch Street where an eight-inch water main ruptured Thursday afternoon.

Repairs and "a lot of road restoration" will take six to eight hours, according to Aquarion spokesman Peter Fazekas. Water service to six customers in the commercial area has been shut off, he said. 

The cause of the break won't be determined until crews dig up the site. "Right now it's hard to tell ... we've had cold weather and it warmed up today" and could have caused the ground to heave and crack the water line, Fazekas added.

Update: 3:00 p.m.
Greenwich Police are advising motorists to avoid the area as "it will take a significant time to repair."

According to radio transmissions, emergency crews have enlisted the aid of the Connecticut State Police to impose a temporary closure of southbound Exit 3 of I-95 onto Arch Street, to reduce congestion and backups.


Update: 2:50 p.m.
It will be some time before Aquarion Water Co. crews know the extent of the work needed to repair a major water main break at the intersection of Arch Street and Railroad Avenue, a company spokesman said.

There are three water mains that run through the intersection," said Peter Fazekas, the utility's public relations manager. "There is a six-inch, an eight-inch and a 12-inch main that run through the intersection. They won't know what's broken until they shut it down, pump it out ... and excavate."

Fazekas added, "Once they start the excavation process (crews) will have a better idea of what repairs are needed and how long it will take." He said that the impact on water customers in the area should be minimal because there are a number of valves available to divert service.

Meanwhile, Greenwich Police and Greenwich DPW crews erected road detours throughout the area, causing further gridlock of the heavy traffic from holiday shoppers.

Road closures:
All southbound traffic for Arch Street is being detoured at Greenwich Avenue.
All southbound traffic headed for Soundview Drive is detoured at Field Point Road.
All traffic that wants to head westbound from Greenwich Avenue onto Railroad is being detoured.

Greenwich emergency dispatch also issued an alert to all emergency crews advising them to avoid the area if possible when responding to calls.

Original story: 2:37 p.m. Dec. 19

Holiday shoppers already are causing gridlock in downtown Greenwich. And a water main break at the intersection of Arch Street and Railroad Avenue Thursday afternoon has prompted road closures and detours.

According to Greenwich Police radio transmissions, the break was reported shortly after 2 p.m. Dec. 19 and has prompted the closure of roads in the area, which usually is congested with traffic from the nearby Exit 3 of I-95. Earlier in the afternoon the area was gridlocked with traffic from holiday shoppers in the Greenwich Avenue business district.

Police and Greenwich Department of Public Works employees are directing traffic away from the area with officers and barricades, as Aquarion Water Co. crews were being assembled to make the repairs.

• All traffic trying to access southbound Arch Street will be detoured at the intersection of Greenwich Avenue.

• All traffic will be banned from SoundView Drive at Field Point Road.