Water Pipe Blows a Hole on Eastbound Watson Road, One Lane Open Near Crestwood Mall

A water main supplying Crestwood Court burst sometime early Monday under Watson at Old Sappington Road, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation, and led to snarled traffic and flooding into parking lots downhill.

Monday afternoon, workers blocked Watson Road down to one lane from three, including the left turn lane, and began digging and drilling down through the foot thick surface of Watson Road.

Earlier, water was spouting out through the burst pipe and a smaller hole in the road, causing a river of water down Watson into the Plaza Dental parking lot about 30 yards east of the break.

MoDot workers said the pipe that burst was about eight inches in diameter and was connected to a 20-inch diameter main running along under Watson Road. The burst pipe fed into Crestwood mall. 

Officials said the mall still had water by using a second water main running to it.

Mayor Bill Nolan, whose corporate interior design company at Crestwood Court faces the section of Watson Road where the pipe burst, said he had water at the offices Monday despite the blow out.

MoDot workers said they expected to work through the night and Tuesday to replace the section of pipe and fix the street.

Water was still pooling on nearby street corners at evening rush hour and Plaza Dental's parking lot was being cleaned of debris and swept clear of water.

Patch suggests avoiding eastbound Watson Road during rush hours and expect merging traffic and delays.