Short-term pain for long-term gain?
Businesses along Leva Avenue have certainly been enduring the former since expansion of the busy Gasoline Alley roadway began in May. But opinions are mixed as to whether the latter will follow.
In an effort to address traffic congestion on Leva Avenue, and the frequent gridlock where it meets Lantern Street, Red Deer County is expanding the north-south avenue to four lanes from three, and developing a roundabout at the Leva-Lantern intersection. Two months into the $6.4-million project, the resulting barricades and detours have frustrated countless motorists and deterred some shoppers from visiting businesses there.
“It’s been brutal,” said Jim Pearson, manager of Scott’s Parable Christian Store.
“Our sales were down 11 per cent in May and they’re down almost 17 per cent in June.”
Scott’s customer count was down by 1,000 in May and 1,600 in June, he added.
“That’s huge.”
Chris Chi, who is a partner in the Petro-Canada service station and convenience store nearby, tells a similar story. He estimates that sales fell 10 per cent in May and 25 per cent last month.
In 2012, the July-to-August period was his businesses’ most profitable, said Chi. That’s unlikely to be the case again this year.
Customer traffic is also down at Ricky’s All Day Grill, next door to Scott’s Parable Christian Store.
“It’s definitely affected us,” said Jennah Morrill, the restaurant’s front-end manager.
Business was slow in May and June, she said, describing how many people didn’t even know Ricky’s was still operating.
“We’re trying to get all of our staff to park over on (the east) side so that people on the highway can tell that we’re open.”
Pearson has posted a notice on Scott’s highway-facing side advising passers-by of the alternate route to get there. But many motorists are unwilling to travel that circuitous route, with seniors particularly adverse to the change.
Pearson fears the disruption will deter attendees at Canada’s Gospel Music Celebration in Red Deer July 11 to 13 from coming to his store.
“Our traffic usually goes up considerably, because there’s an extra 3,000 to 4,000 people in town.”
Steve Banack, vice-president with AL-Terra Engineering, said a mid-September completion date is targeted, but work is currently ahead of schedule. He said the priority is to get traffic flowing, with cosmetic elements like landscaping and lighting to follow.
Tyler Harke, communication manager with Red Deer County, said the situation for local businesses has already improved, with much of the widening of Leva Avenue now complete.
“At the end of the day, it has to be done,” shrugged Pearson. “You’ve got to build the roads.”
Ultimately, the Hwy 2 interchange that feeds onto Gasoline Alley is slated for reconstruction. That will include the addition of a “collector-distribution road system,” which will allow southbound highway traffic to exit the freeway and access the north end of Leva Avenue.
Last year, Alberta Transportation bumped the project from its three-year road construction program. But that could change, said Nancy Beasley Hosker, a spokesperson with the department.
“Right now, all of the engineering and land acquisition is complete. It’s just a matter of approval and funding, depending on priorities.”
When the highway project does proceed, Chi and Morrill are optimistic it will help their businesses, because they’re at the north end of Gasoline Alley.
“We’ll be the first restaurant when you come onto Gasoline Alley,” said Morrill.
Pearson is less optimistic. He fears drivers who miss the first southbound exit to Gasoline Alley will be reluctant to take the next one at McKenzie Road, and double back.
“Nobody likes to go backwards.”
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com