Drivers near Nike’s Beaverton campus got an unexpected waterfront view Monday when a major water main burst at the intersection of SW Murray Boulevard and Walker Road, erupting into a towering spray and tying up traffic as crews rushed in. Commuters and nearby employees watched as heavy machinery rolled in and repair teams worked to isolate the broken line, while local travel feeds flagged emergency lane closures and warned drivers to steer clear until the mess was under control.
Photos Show Towering Jet
A photo gallery from OregonLive shows the rupture blasting water an estimated 120 feet into the air, with the geyser reportedly running for more than an hour before crews succeeded in shutting it down. OregonLive attributes the break to a work crew striking a buried water main while performing work in the intersection. Images by photographer Max Graves capture the blowout, the heavy equipment on scene, and the effort to get the line capped and the flood under control.
County Road Advisory Reports 'Water Main Break'
Washington County's road-closures page listed the Murray and Walker intersection as an “Emergency lane closure” due to a “Water Main Break,” noting that the southbound lane had been reopened once initial repairs were completed. The advisory dated the incident to July 6 and urged motorists to expect delays in the area while work continued. As of the latest posting, officials had not released detailed information about water service outages affecting nearby buildings.
Nearby Construction Could Be Connected
The intersection has already been a construction hot spot this year as part of a multiagency improvement project, and the Tualatin Valley Water District has been replacing and relocating mains along SW Murray as part of that work. TVWD’s project page describes recent main replacement and installation along the Murray frontage road corridor near Walker Road, a process that can involve temporary taps and cut-ins that expose underground lines. That construction timeline lines up with OregonLive’s report that crews were actively working in the intersection when the main failed.
What Drivers And Residents Should Know
TripCheck's live events log recorded the closure and recommended detours around the Murray and Walker area while repairs continued, and county channels urged drivers to avoid the intersection during the response. At the time of reporting, authorities had not announced any injuries tied to the break. Customers with questions about their water service were directed to contact their local water providers for the latest updates. This story will be updated as agencies release additional statements or advisories.
