Elgin water main break not as bad as initially feared

Commuters likely will need to cross the Kimball Street bridge off their list if they want to cross the Fox River in Elgin this morning.

Repair crews were expected to continue working today on a break to a primary water main at Kimball Street and Route 31. Officials said the break occurred late Wednesday afternoon, disrupting Metra service and forcing an early closure of Gail Borden Public Library.

Elgin spokeswoman Sue Olafson said the Kimball Street bridge was scheduled to be closed for this morning's rush hour. Metra commuter rail service was expected to run as usual on the Milwaukee District West Line's two tracks.

It was originally believed the break led to little or no water pressure for about 20,000 households, but the estimate turned out to be overstated.

Olafson said telephone calls from some residents in different parts of the city and a mapping of potentially affected areas combined in the miscalculation of the water main break's scope

"It didn't impact a large part of the city," Olafson said.

An official cause of the water main break wasn't determined late Wednesday, said Olafson, but temperatures moving from subzero to the upper 20s in a matter of days could be the culprit.

"It isn't unusual for water main breaks when there is temperature fluctuation," Olafson said.

Elgin police blocked Kimball and Route 31 during Wednesday's afternoon rush hour, which created traffic snarls.

Metra service was halted north of the Chicago Street stop, city officials said. Metra passengers had to be bused from Chicago Street to the Big Timber stop and vice versa, depending on where they were going.

Olafson said the Gail Borden library was shut about 5:30 p.m. and didn't reopen. The library typically closes at 9 p.m. Wednesdays.

Elgin's emergency telephone message system sent about 20,000 calls alerting residents about the major main break because of the initial belief the problem was widespread.

Officials said there were no plans to evacuate residents and no public order to boil water late Wednesday. Homes south of Wing Street and south of Slade Avenue were affected.