DC Water orders closure of northbound stretch of 14th Street NW due to risk of road collapse

DC Water has ordered the closure of the northbound lanes of 14th Street NW between Thomas Circle and L Street NW due to the risk of collapse.

On Sunday, the agency said an abandoned century-old sewer tunnel made of brick underneath the road was the main concern. Engineers determined that traffic weight was increasing the possibility of a collapse.

“We knew there was an abandoned sewer line. What wasn’t documented was the fact that it was not actually sealed more than 50 years ago when it was abandoned,” DC Water spokeswoman Sherri Lewis told Washington’s WJLA-TV, adding that the agency found a 70-inch crack in the tunnel.

DC Water closed off the affected stretch Saturday morning, and crews are filling the 42-inch diameter tunnel with an “engineered material” to prop up the road.

DC Water said it expects the work to last through the end of the week, depending on the weather.

The southbound lanes of 14th Street NW between Thomas Circle and L Street NW are unaffected by the road work, while L Street NW between Vermont Avenue and 14th Street will be open to residents-only traffic.

The eastbound L Street NW bike lane will remain open and unaffected by the road work. Pedestrian access will remain available where it’s safe. DC Water urges pedestrians to comply with signage and avoid restricted space.