A stretch of York Road in northern Baltimore County will be shut down for some time after a 30-inch water main break.It has left a massive hole in the middle of the street, and businesses even blocks away are without water. WBAL-TV spoke with residents about how this incident is impacting them.John Linko has lived off York Road his whole life, and Friday, he witnessed a first right at the edge of his driveway.”We walked up. I saw water trickling all the way down to the woods and all the way up, and it’s just getting worse,” Linko said.For hours, water shot out of the ground and turned the stretch of road into a river. Baltimore County resident Peter Hanke was forced to drive around the mess.”I was just driving along, and the road was closed. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a sinkhole,” Hanke said.The Holiday Inn down the street is without water, causing concern for people staying there.”The bathrooms weren’t flushing. No water or anything. So, then we found out the places next to us also had no water,” Danielle Bellino, who was staying at the hotel, said.Nearby businesses were also without water, and many said water main breaks happen here at least once a year, but never to this extent. Timothy Giancola is the owner and operator of Bagel Works Hunt Valley.”It looks like there needs to be big change. Somebody has got to come in here and look at what’s going on, why we’re having this,” Giancola said.They noticed the ground giving way around 9:50 a.m. and sent all their employees home.”We’re shut down. We’ve lost our utility of water. As a restaurant, we can’t operate without water, obviously,” Giancola said.Residents said they want to see a permanent fix soon.”Crazy. No words, I guess. I did not think I would ever see this happen. There’s been water breaks up and down this road, but never right here, this close,” Linko said. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration said that York Road will be closed for the next couple of days, but an exact timetable cannot be determined until the extent of the damage is seen.
A stretch of York Road in northern Baltimore County will be shut down for some time after a 30-inch water main break.
It has left a massive hole in the middle of the street, and businesses even blocks away are without water. WBAL-TV spoke with residents about how this incident is impacting them.
John Linko has lived off York Road his whole life, and Friday, he witnessed a first right at the edge of his driveway.
“We walked up. I saw water trickling all the way down to the woods and all the way up, and it’s just getting worse,” Linko said.
For hours, water shot out of the ground and turned the stretch of road into a river. Baltimore County resident Peter Hanke was forced to drive around the mess.
“I was just driving along, and the road was closed. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a sinkhole,” Hanke said.
The Holiday Inn down the street is without water, causing concern for people staying there.
“The bathrooms weren’t flushing. No water or anything. So, then we found out the places next to us also had no water,” Danielle Bellino, who was staying at the hotel, said.
Nearby businesses were also without water, and many said water main breaks happen here at least once a year, but never to this extent. Timothy Giancola is the owner and operator of Bagel Works Hunt Valley.
“It looks like there needs to be big change. Somebody has got to come in here and look at what’s going on, why we’re having this,” Giancola said.
They noticed the ground giving way around 9:50 a.m. and sent all their employees home.
“We’re shut down. We’ve lost our utility of water. As a restaurant, we can’t operate without water, obviously,” Giancola said.
Residents said they want to see a permanent fix soon.
“Crazy. No words, I guess. I did not think I would ever see this happen. There’s been water breaks up and down this road, but never right here, this close,” Linko said.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration said that York Road will be closed for the next couple of days, but an exact timetable cannot be determined until the extent of the damage is seen.
