Geyser Floods I-8 In Mission Valley

SAN DIEGO, CA – A water line ruptured underneath Interstate 8 in Mission Valley Thursday, causing a spectacular geyser that flooded the freeway, created a sinkhole in the pavement and shut down the eastbound lanes of the roadway through the afternoon.

A plume of water began spraying about 20 feet into the air on the southern edge of I-8 near Hotel Circle South shortly after noon, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The surge from the failed 30-inch-diameter transmission pipeline soon excavated a sinkhole about 8 feet wide in the roadway, forcing a closure of all eastbound lanes in the area.

The southbound and northbound I-5 connectors to eastbound I-8 were also closed, according to Caltrans. In addition, the Nimitz, Mission Bay Drive and Sport Arena on-ramps to eastbound I-8 were closed.

With traffic backing up heavily for miles around, authorities directed the stranded motorists to turn around and double back on the southern shoulder, then exit at Taylor Street.

Utility personnel had the overflow halted by 3:30 p.m., city spokesman Arian Collins said. About 2 1/2 hours lager, the CHP and Caltrans reopened two of the four eastbound lanes in the area.

As of early Thursday evening, city officials still had no estimate for when repairs to the pipeline and roadway would be complete.

The main break likely was related to three others that occurred late Thursday morning in close proximity to each other in the nearby Morena area, Collins said.