Workers completed subsurface repairs Tuesday on the stretch of East Lombard Street closed by a water main break last week, clearing the way for a possible reopening of the vital downtown artery as early as Thursday.
Adrienne Barnes, a spokeswoman for the city Department of Transportation, said workers were starting to backfill the roadway between Commerce and President streets with sand, gravel and stone. Also being repaired was South Gay Street between Pratt and Water streets.
The next step will be to repave the affected blocks - a job that could be completed in a day if the weather is warm and sunny.
Frank Murphy, acting deputy director for operations at the transportation agency, said he is "guardedly optimistic" that the roads can open Thursday, weather cooperating.
Barnes said workers made good progress Tuesday. After the Department of Public Works repaired the water mains, Verizon and Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. were able to repair their cables under the streets. Meanwhile, workers for the Transportation Department completed work on the conduit - pipe through which other cables run - under the surface.
With those tasks complete, the city can begin putting down a new asphalt surface.
Traffic was seriously disrupted a week ago Tuesday when a 20-inch water main broke at Lombard and Gay streets, flooding downtown streets just in time for the morning rush hour. Some of the city's largest downtown buildings were forced to close.
Mayor Sheila Dixon blamed the problem on the city's aging infrastructure.
Murphy said city officials will do everything they can to get traffic flowing in time for the Orioles series this weekend. "I understand the Yankees are back in town Friday, so that would be good timing," he said.
