By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN EAST — Expect traffic headaches on the East Side tonight and during tomorrow morning's rush after a water main break at 56th Street closed a lane on Second Avenue.
Water and mud gushed onto 56th Street at 8:40 Wednesday morning, forcing Con Edison to close the road and part of Second Avenue between 55th and 56th streets.
The morning commute was also snarled by the break as two lanes on the west side of Second Avenue were blocked.
"In 13 years it's only happened one more time," said Buick Hong, 60, owner of the Deliteria Deli and Grocery, whose basement was flooded.
Hong said despite the water, the goods in his basement were not damaged.
A Con Edison spokesman blamed the 12 inch pipe's old age for the main break.
The pipe dated to 1870, 1010WINS reported.
Con Ed said they would repair the pipe as quickly as possible because of the high traffic coming off the 59th Street Bridge each day.
Classes stayed open at the High School of Art and Design, where flooding forced officials to temporarily cut off the water to the school and surrounding office buildings, a Con Ed spokesman said.
The school drew its emergency water supply from a water tank on top of the building, Con Ed said.
Heading into work on 56th street, Lydia Martinez, 52, of the Bronx was blocked onto a street corner by a repair truck and a stream of water.
"I'm pissed," Martinez said. "Between this and the train, it's 20 things I gotta think about."
Martinez finally hiked down the street and crossed where the water was lower and continued.
"Yeah," she said. "Late."
