New York, NY —

Mayor Bloomberg says it will take at least the rest of this week for Con Edison to repair the crater and fix the pavement, following last week's steam pipe explosion.

REPORTER: The city has reopened most of the area by now, except for about a block in either direction on Lexington Avenue and 41st Street. Information is available at www.nyc.gov.

REPORTER: Meanwhile, some politicians from Queens are warning local businesses affected by the blast not to expect too much compensation from Con Edison following their experience with last summer's blackout. The maximum payout was $7,000 . But Mayor Bloomberg says those decisions are up to Con Ed and the state.

BLOOMBERG: I'm not here to defend Con Ed. What I'm here to do is give Con Ed every assistance to get the repairs made and let us get back to a situation where the streets are open and people are getting services.

REPORTER: Bloomberg says the city is offering small businesses information on how to recover money from Con Edison for any damages and to apply for interest-free loans. It's also exploring the possibility of federal assistance.