Franklin Street reopens in Chapel Hill after water line break

All lanes of East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill reopened Friday after a water line break.

2026-01-16

Orange Water and Sewage Authority (OWASA) said the leak was on East Franklin Street between Roosevelt Drive and Deming Road. Before the road reopened, the two eastbound lanes were blocked off to traffic, and the westbound lanes on East Franklin Street were split to allow traffic to flow in each direction. 

The extreme cold also caused some water to freeze on the road. Crews said DOT had to treat part of East Franklin Street. 

This was the second water main break in the area within 24 hours. 

Town officials told WRAL that a water main broke on Cary Parkway on Thursday afternoon. It caused road closures from Skipwyth Circle to Hampton Lee Court. Repairs were made and the road reopened overnight, but that break began leaking again on Friday morning, according to town officials. 

There have been a series of water main breaks in Raleigh's Village District over the past year. The latest break was on Cameron Street on Jan. 2.  The same street was closed in July due to another water main break.