NEW ALBANY, Ind. — The long-awaited Main Street construction project in New Albany is nearly completed. Small businesses have had to endure many months of torn up sidewalks and less foot traffic.
While the sidewalks are now walkable and the street is often open to one-way traffic, there are still some headaches for business owners.
Michele Finn, who owns Michele's Apothecary in the Underground Station area, said she went to open her store on Tuesday and couldn't get across Main Street to park.
"I drove around for about 15 minutes trying to get across," she said. "It was just blocked off at that time for the paving."
Finn said she decided not to open her shop that day, because she had arranged for an elderly client to meet her there, and she knew that person wouldn't be able to get in. Her store sells CBD oils, sleep gummies and more to help with pain.
Finn says she is very much looking forward to the construction ending, which businesses have been told to expect at the end of August or start of September.
At the start of 2023, New Albany's city council approved a loan program organized by One Southern Indiana where small businesses could get a zero interest loan up to $25,000 to help them with the loss of revenue.
Finn says she did utilize the program, but feels there's been a lack of communication from the city throughout the whole project, including what she experienced earlier this week.
Another person who echoed these concerns was Felix Carrillo, who was getting a haircut in the Underground Station on Tuesday.
"Every time I have to plug it into the GPS to see how long it's gonna take me to get here," Carrillo said. "I typically have to just start turning down streets and see what streets are open and what streets are closed."
A spokesperson for the city says they have had multiple Main Street info meetings and invited both the public and business owners to them. Updates are also posted weekly on this website.
According to the city's site, construction company MAC will be "onsite paving the surface layer for the whole project" starting next Monday.
The spokesperson also said contractors have been going door-to-door to notify local business about planned actions and signs are placed throughout the site. However, some people feel these updates aren't enough, and would like more frequent updates.
WHAS11 saw an example of a street closure that wasn't fully communicated Thursday, as East Main Street Eastbound was closed to one-way traffic at Bank Street at 12 p.m. and then reopened 30 minutes later.
"We've heard things like, 'It may be closed today' or 'It may be open later.' But we don't get heads up," Andrew Nicholson said, who is running for city clerk.
Finn says when the construction is finally over, she hopes the city will do a "small business scavenger hunt" or a punch card to check off items at local businesses or something to encourage customers to return to the area.
"To really highlight the businesses that have been working really hard to help our community through this construction," she said.
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