Part of Harrison Avenue in Gardiner was closed by the city Wednesday because of embankment erosion, and it could stayed closed for a few weeks while the sewer repair project that caused the problem is finished.

The city closed the south end of Harrison Avenue between Andrews and Ash streets to through traffic after it was discovered part of the road’s embankment on the Cobbossee Stream side slid down sometime during Tuesday night’s rainstorm, said Doug Clark, director of wastewater for the city.

If it appears the embankment supporting the road hasn’t slid more by Thursday morning, the city planned to open the west side of Harrison Avenue, Clark said. Even then, the stream side of the road will likely stay closed for the remaining three to four weeks of the project, he said.

The city is in the process of replacing a 900-foot steel sewer interceptor pipe that runs along the stream. The closed portion of Harrison Avenue starts in the New Mill area, off Cobbossee Avenue, which is Route 9, and includes around a dozen houses on the west side of the street.

Clark said the city notified the residents in the area and the school district about the problem. He said there is no danger to any houses on the street, but Central Maine Power Co. plans to remove an electric pole on the embankment sometime tomorrow.

“Public safety is number one,” Clark said. “If there’s any doubts about vehicles traveling on that, we’ll shut it right down.”

Paul Koenig — 621-5663

pkoenig@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @paul_koenig