JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — JEA says work could continue through the weekend to fix a water main break on San Jose Boulevard in Mandarin.
The utility says its crews have been working for more than week and says the break happened 25 feet underground.
Crews are working in the area of San Jose Boulevard between Claire Lane and East Old River Road. The construction will keep lanes closed on both the north and southbound sides of San Jose; in some areas, from three lanes of traffic to one.
"It's been about 25 minutes added to my actual route," said Kinna Beerbower, a neighbor. "I have never seen the three lanes of San Jose shut down to one lane."
"It's like anything else. I mean, it's not cool, but I mean, I heard they're working 24/7 doing the best they can," neighbor Damian Keister added.
Mambos Cuban Cafe Express co-owners Fabrizio Rivero and Jimy Pulido say the traffic is hurting their business.
"It's affecting, you know, our business over here," Rivero told First Coast News. "They (commuters) don't feel like going out to eat, just because the traffic going home, it's so stressful that they, you know, they just want to be at home."
JEA says soil saturation conditions are contributing to the length of time to make the repairs and is still looking into what caused the break. The company says a similar break happened last year in the area and is working to prevent them in the future so things can keep moving.
"You know, it's a nightmare. It's so much you know, traffic," Rivero said.