Water line breaks tie up US 224, Southern Boulevard

Staff report

BOARDMAN

Township officials hoped multiple waterline breaks along Southern Boulevard that heaved the road and tied up traffic along Southern and U.S. Route 224 Wednesday afternoon and evening would be fixed by Thursday morning’s traffic.

“We’re keeping our fingers crossed,” said Jason Loree, Boardman Township administrator.

Loree said Youngstown Water Department crews were scheduled to work through the night to repair multiple waterline breaks along Southern Boulevard.

An already-busy road was gridlocked this afternoon after a water-main break shut down part of Route 224.

The breaks may have been caused by a truck hitting a fire hydrant at 224 and Southern Boulevard.

Loree said, however, that it is undetermined if the truck caused the damage because fire hydrants are designed to shear off on impact to prevent collateral damage.

Part of 224 was shut down for some time, and a stretch of Southern Boulevard was closed even longer.

Read more about the situation in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.