Latest Mariner’s Mile construction glitch: Traffic signal’s power cut

The commute along Mariner’s Mile in Newport Beach got tougher Monday morning when crews working on a sewer line accidentally cut power to a traffic signal, officials said.

When a contractor began digging in the area, workers accidentally hit a conduit powering the signal at West Coast Highway and Riverside Avenue, said Jennifer Cabral, an Orange County Sanitation District spokeswoman.

The area was not properly marked to warn crews that there was an electrical conduit below the surface, Cabral said.

Now, the signal could be disabled through Tuesday, according to authorities.

Traffic along Mariner’s Mile has already been affected since September when the sanitation district began a sewer rehab project there.

Mistakes have also added to the congestion.

During one week in January, crews twice ruptured gas lines, prompting police to warn motorists to avoid the area.

Cabral said the Newport Beach police department was directing traffic near the disabled signal Monday to help ease the blockage.

The contractor also was trying to temporarily splice power to the signal, she said.

Crews planned to work on permanent repairs Tuesday, according to the sanitation district.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck