NEW ALBANY, Ind. — New Albany has seen its fair share of construction all summer,
Local businesses who experienced disruptions believe more construction could affect its flow.
Spring and Elm Street will have nightly lane closures as work continues on the Sherman Minton Bridge.
Viva Art on Bank Street has felt the effects of construction, citing a decline in registration with several class cancelations because people can’t get across the bridge.
“[It] used to be that we'd have every seat in here full and then you know pandemic happens we scrape by that and now we're hit with the bridge being closed. People don't want to book a class because they are not sure if they can get here on time or they booked a class and suddenly they can't because the bridge is closed, the road is closed,” Kim Baldwin, a paint instructor, said.
This has left more seats empty than full.
“We still want people to come in, we want to keep our prices fair but it's not going to matter if people can't physically get here from the bridge," Baldwin said.
Luckily businesses like Dress & Dwell on Spring Street have not been affected by construction due to its store hours closing between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. most nights.
"I would be lying if I said that sales haven't slowed down a little but the businesses around us have been greatly affected," Kristie Erickson, a sales associate at Dress & Dwell, said.
Baldwin said while she’s happy for a fresh, repaved road, there should have been notice given ahead of time.
"It's not fun it would be nice if we had a deadline so that we can plan ahead but without being able to forecast that we're just sort of winging it."
In the meantime, Erickson hopes drivers will be patient behind the wheel.
"It would be nice if everyone could just slow down a little and just relax and not get their weekday started off to kind of a mad dash,” she expressed.
Nightly lane closures will take place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and it is unclear when they will end.
Erickson and Baldwin are both crossing their fingers it will happen sooner than later.
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