Wilmington's Front Street closed by 'major water main leak' with traffic asked to detour

A major water main leak closed a section of S. Front Street and is causing traffic back ups near downtown Wilmington Thursday.

Crews have closed S. Front Street south of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, according to a press release Thursday from Cape Fear Public Utility Authority. The 1000 to 1200 blocks of S. Front Street -- from Wright Street to Marstellar Street -- are closed to traffic in both directions.  

The southbound ramp of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is also closed with traffic detouring to S. 3rd Street, according to the release.

Cars traveling southbound on S. Front Street can detour using Castle Street to get to S. Third Street and northbound traffic on S. Front Street can detour using Greenfield Street to get to S. Third Street.

Northbound traffic from Carolina Beach Road and Burnett Boulevard is asked to use S. Third Street as a detour.

The closures are expected to last for approximately six hours while crews perform an emergency repair to a CFPUA water main, according to the press release. Officers from the Wilmington Police Department are on the scene to help with traffic control.

As of 1 p.m. Thursday, cars could be seen backed up along S. Front Street up to the intersection of S. Front and Castle Streets.

Two commercial water customers are under a precautionary water boil advisory in connection with the leak and have received hand-delivered notices, according to the authority.