Mandarin traffic woes continue

JEA crews have been working for 10 days to repair a water main break in Mandarin, focusing on San Jose Boulevard between Old River Road and Claire Lane.

Traffic has been reduced to one lane in both directions.

“It’s been a nightmare,” said driver Katherine Schonely.

Schonely, on her second day at a new job, has been late both days due to the traffic.

“I left on time yesterday and was still 15 minutes late because I didn’t expect the traffic to be that bad,” she said.

For 10 days, crews have closed the four inside lanes on both sides, just south of I-295.

ORIGINAL STORY: Water main break repair expected to last a week, forces lane closures on San Jose Boulevard

Mandola’s Italian Kitchen, located in front of the construction site, has seen a significant drop in business. Managing partner Keith Dyson reported a 25% decrease compared to last month.

“It’s worse on the weekends,” Dyson said. “This time of year is always tough for restaurants, so we fight for every dollar. This situation makes it even harder.”

Crews had to dig 25 feet to find the leak and start repairs.

“We’ve been working around the clock, alternating crews to maintain a high level of service and keep the road accessible,” said JEA Waste Water Manager Kyle Schoettler.

The work has been prolonged due to rain, which has saturated the ground and required special equipment for safety.

“Excavations at these depths mean changing conditions, so we adjust our plans to ensure crew safety at all times,” Schoettler said.

JEA is still investigating the cause of the water main break. This is the second leak since the pipe was installed in the early 2000s.

Regarding traffic, JEA expects the repair work to continue into next weekend.