EAST PROVIDENCE — A city sewer main that runs along the East Bay Bike Path in the Riverside section of the city broke recently and public works officials say it will take three weeks to repair.

The bike path just north of Crescent View Avenue will remain closed during the construction.

Public Works director Stephen H. Coutu said a detour route for bike path users isn’t necessary because, “the path has been closed all winter [for repairs to Barrington sewer pipes] and now we just have our own project.”

The city discovered the break in a 21-inch sewer main, which crosses Bullocks Cove, Monday at around 7 p.m. In a news release yesterday, Coutu said emergency crews were immediately called to install an “overland bypass system.”

Sewage stopped pouring into the cove around 11 a.m. yesterday morning when the bypass system began. Coutu said the state Department of Environmental Management and Department of Health was notified and updated regularly.

He said officials from both state departments also requested “all water recreational activities in the area be prohibited” until 11 a.m. tomorrow. The restriction will be in effect for the Bullocks Cove north of Crescent View Avenue area.