Sansom and Juniper Streets reopen after $1.7 million repairs to Center City water main break

At last, the intersection at Juniper and Sansom Streets in Center City is open to traffic again.

It took nearly a year to restore normalcy to the streets after a 48-inch water main burst last July. The Philadelphia Water Department removed its final barriers to reopen the roads to all traffic just before noon on Friday.

In total, the water department’s efforts — which included cleaning the area, replacing portions of three water mains and seven valves, lining sewers, restoring sidewalks, paving streets and replacing street lights — cost $1.7 million, according to a release.

That total does not include costs borne by companies and utilities, including Philadelphia Gas Works, PECO, Veolia, AT&T, Comcast and Verizon, which also had to replace or restore their infrastructure following the break.

Calling the repairs an “extremely challenging project,” Acting Water Commissioner Sarah Stevenson thanked the community for its patience during the nearly yearlong road closure.

“With any large-scale infrastructure repair or improvement, we strive to reduce our impact to business and residents as best we can,” Stevenson said in a statement. "Sansom and S. Juniper was a particularly complicated work zone, and everyone we worked with really stepped up to the plate to finish the job.”

The water main break caused more than 14 million gallons of water to flood the area — leaving some buildings without power and running water for two weeks last July.

Water Department spokesperson John DiGiulio estimated that about 30 businesses sustained direct water damage, but “countless others” were affected by the restoration process and street closings.

The cause of the break will remain unknown, as investigations came up “inconclusive," said DiGiulio.