Traffic on Ala Wai Boulevard was jammed yesterday after a water line break created a large sinkhole just past the McCully Street bridge.

All lanes of the thoroughfare were to be reopened today. Officials said the 16-inch water pipe that caused the sinkhole broke about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, cutting water to residents and businesses at the Waikiki Landmark for more than 12 hours.

The sinkhole was estimated to be about five feet deep, a contractor at the scene said yesterday. Crews made the hole bigger so they could fix the broken line, then filled it in. A contractor repaved the roadway, which was reopened about 7:30 p.m.

No structural damage to the roadway was reported.

Board of Water Supply spokeswoman Su Shin said the pipeline that broke was installed in 1979. The break was the first for the pipe, and it was unclear yesterday what caused it.

The line break forced the closure of Ala Wai Boulevard between McCully Street and Kalakaua Avenue. Local traffic was allowed into the area, but others were detoured.

The pipe was fixed and water was restored by 11 a.m. yesterday. By 12:30 p.m., crews started to fill in the trench.

While the water was out, residents at the 197-unit Waikiki Landmark on Ala Wai Boulevard were forced to get their water from a small wagon parked outside the building. Some businesses at the building had to close. One of them, the International School of Beauty and Esthetique, had to cancel morning classes.

"It puts a real kink in our schedule," said Catherine Wood, accounting manager at the school.

Wood said she found out the water was out about 8:30 a.m. yesterday — too late to warn students who were already battling traffic to come in.

About 25 students were turned away, she said.

Just before the water was restored yesterday, Waikiki Landmark resident Terry Whittington was filling up containers with water from the wagon in front of the building.

Whittington woke up about 3:30 a.m. yesterday to get a glass of water and found her tap was dry. If the water still wasn't on by tonight, she said, she was heading to her health club for a shower.

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.