Busy road near SouthPark Mall reopens after large water main break

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A busy south Charlotte road in front of SouthPark Mall reopens Friday night, a day after a water main broke.

Charlotte Water officials said they planned to work through the night Thursday to repair the issue before Friday morning rush hour traffic, but Sharon Road southbound was still completely impassable Friday morning.

One lane and the right-turn lane outbound on Sharon Road at Coltsgate Road were closed during the repair and reconstruction of the road.

Water could be seen gushing out of the ground on Friday.

As an alternate route to Fairview Road, drivers can take Morrison Boulevard to Barclay Downs Drive.

Mallory Bonneville works across the street.

"Everyone wants to get their teeth cleaned at SouthPark Dental and Oral Care, and they can’t. So that’s affecting us greatly," she said.

Bonneville said the dental office had to close Friday because the water main break cut off its water. She said patients' appointments were canceled for the entire day.

"For our patients who have insurance policies ending this weekend to get treatment taken care of, that’s pretty unfortunate," said Bonneville.

While the break on Sharon Road happened Thursday, crews didn't shut off the water until Friday morning.

It's the second major water main break this week.

Freedom Drive turned into a river earlier this week after a massive break. It forced businesses to close early and to question the quality of their water.

Charlotte Water said it has a water main break just about every day. Last year, crews fixed 5,000.

It's unusual, however, for crews to have two big breaks at the same time.

Charlotte Water said the pipe under Freedom Drive is about 90 years old, so age was probably a factor.

In both cases, it's likely a combination of that, infrastructure and weather.

Both water main breaks were repaired Friday night.

Cox Media Group