Smallman Street reopens after water main break closed it for 3 weeks

Smallman Street in Pittsburgh’s Strip District reopened Saturday evening after a water main break closed a portion of the street for three weeks.

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority spokesman Will Pickering said the street reopened at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The $1.5 million project included the water main replacement, paving the road and sidewalk installation.

The 100-year-old, 36-inch pipe burst May 21, flooding the area and damaging the street.

The authority said it used the unexpected break as an opportunity to install an entirely new section of water main on Smallman Street, between 15^th and 16^th streets. Crews also coordinated with Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to install new sidewalks and curbs.

The authority said they removed 1,500 tons of debris and installed a little more than 500 feet of new water main.