CHAPEL HILL – A gas leak in downtown Chapel Hill on Friday afternoon briefly shut down traffic on West Rosemary Street between Church Street  and Mitchell Lane, as well as on West Franklin Street between Mallette and South Roberson streets.

Chapel Hill Police spokesman Sergeant Bryan Walker said a call came in at 3:15 that a gas line had been severed  in the 300 block of West Rosemary.

Traffic was briefly diverted and some businesses evacuated as a precaution, but as of 3:45 police said the gas leak had been repaired and all roadways were open.

The leak was reported near the Shortbread Lofts construction site. Walker says that when companies are doing construction and digging, hitting gas lines is risk.

When you’re doing construction that involves digging, there’s always that hazard” Walker said.