The City of Hamilton will start stabilizing the slope along Highway 403 near York Boulevard on Monday, following a mudslide on Friday that closed part of the highway for most of the day and wreaked havoc on traffic.

The eastbound highway between Main Street East and York Boulevard was closed around 8:30 a.m. ET, Friday morning after a water main break caused trees, debris and water to spill onto the highway. York Boulevard into the city was also closed due to concerns about the stability of the slope.

On Saturday, Hamilton city staff met with representatives from the Ministry of Transportation at the site of the mudslide to discuss the condition of the slope. Work will begin on Monday to stabilize the slope and may take up to a week to complete, the city said in a release Saturday afternoon.

For safety reasons, one lane of traffic on the eastbound Highway 403 will be closed in the area. The lane closure will start after rush hour Monday morning,

The closure will be in effect "for the better part of the week," said Dan McKinnon, director of Hamilton Waters.

He said the city is considered to be an industry leader in asset management — knowing what conditions the city's assets are in and managing them before they fail. However, he added, Hamilton is also home to a large amount of aging infrastructure, and staying ahead can be difficult.

The city has 200 kilometres of water mains, and the impact of a break depends on where it happens.

"It just so happens it had an adverse (effect during) probably one of the busiest routes on the 403," he told CBC Hamilton.

Water main repairs to follow

As a safety precaution, the York Boulevard ramp off of the highway, as well as the Hamilton-bound lanes on York Boulevard coming in from Burlington, will also remain closed, said Kelly Anderson, the city's communications officer.

Some work will also take place on York Boulevard on Sunday to prepare for Monday's work.

The water main repairs will be completed once the slope stabilization work is done, the city said.

Meanwhile, commuters who were stuck in the gridlock took to social media to voice their frustration. The incident also prompted residents to question the authorities' response and preparedness when it comes to unforeseeable situations.

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