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Some Gasoline Alley businesses concerned about losing service road

Service road on west side of Hwy 2 was closed last week and is being torn up
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Edo owner Peter Tran

Some Gasoline Alley businesses fear sales will take a hit because of the removal of the service road on the west side of Hwy 2.

“Really bad,” said Edo owner Peter Tran, when asked how business has been since the service road was closed late last week. “We lost about 35 per cent.

“All of the trucking people they can’t get in here,” said Tran, who also owns Red Deer’s two other Edo outlets.

Tran believes business will bounce back eventually as the $100-million project to overhaul the Gaetz Avenue and Hwy 2 road system is finished.

“It will take a while,” he said. After they complete it, it will get better.”

Krishna Chaudhary, owner of the nearby Opa restaurant, is frustrated because he believes Alberta Transportation officials were not listening when business owners expressed their concerns.

“I told them this is not good. Do not remove the service road,” said Chaudhary.

Chaudhary does not believe Leva Avenue, which will be the main link to businesses such as his, is equipped to handle the traffic volumes that are coming.

“This road is not wide enough,” he said.

Much of the Gasoline Alley area still remains undeveloped and traffic will only increase as new homes and businesses arrive.

“Once it’s all full, do you think (Leva Avenue) will be wide enough? I don’t think so.”

Second Cup manager Monica Morrison hopes the road changes will not affect the local businesses and motorists will soon adjust.

“Hopefully, it’s not too inconvenient for people to come and support their local businesses.”

So far, Morrison has heard little negative reaction from customers.

Red Deer County announced last week that construction was beginning on the Junction 42 development south of Gasoline Alley at Hwy 2 and Hwy 42.

The first phase of development on the 290-acre site will see large commercial and truck parking area built. It will eventually include gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants and other businesses.

Losing the Gasoline Alley service road, which was a popular parking spot for trucks and RVs, helped spur the Hwy 42 project.



pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com

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Opa owner Krishna Chaudhary