Clearwater Drilling in San Pedro to Extend Work Hours, Impact Traffic

Longer hours and traffic control will be in place on Western Avenue to gather more data on underground tunnel breach.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Ongoing drilling work on Western Avenue in San Pedro will require extended hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting on February 17, as contractors gather more information about a breach that occurred while tunneling to install new wastewater pipes. The traffic control hours will also be extended from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to accommodate the new phase of the work, which is expected to continue through March.

Why it matters

The extended drilling and traffic control hours are necessary to allow contractors to drill four more bore holes and use sonar devices to produce a 3D image of the underground area where the tunnel breach occurred. This information is crucial to determine the best way to fill the empty space and repair the breach, which has caused disruptions in the Clearwater wastewater pipe project.

The details

The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts are conducting the drilling work to gather more data on the tunnel breach that occurred during the Clearwater wastewater pipe project. The contractors will use two drilling rigs to drill four additional bore holes and deploy sonar devices to create a 3D image of the underground conditions at a depth of approximately 320 feet below street level. This information will help them decide how to best fill the 10-foot by 20-foot empty space that was identified about 310 feet below ground at the breach site.

  • The extended work hours will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting on February 17, 2026.
  • The traffic control hours will also be extended from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • The drilling work and traffic impacts are expected to continue through March 2026.

The players

Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts

The government agency responsible for the Clearwater wastewater pipe project and the ongoing drilling work to investigate and repair the tunnel breach.

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What’s next

Following the additional drilling and sonar mapping, the contractors will determine the best way to fill the empty space above the tunnel breach and proceed with the necessary repairs.

The takeaway

The extended work hours and traffic impacts on Western Avenue are necessary steps to gather critical data and information that will guide the repair efforts for the Clearwater wastewater pipe project's tunnel breach. This work is essential to restoring the integrity of the underground infrastructure and minimizing further disruptions to the local community.