x
Breaking News
More () »

Conant St. construction affects local business

Construction is underway on Conant Street in Maumee, but the work is bringing a lot of congestion to the area.

MAUMEE, OH (Toledo News Now) - Construction is underway on Conant Street in Maumee, but the work is bringing a lot of congestion to the area.

The city is paying for a new, smooth road, and the contractor is putting in sidewalks where there previously were none. But for area businesses, the improvements are impacting their bottom line.

"They affect me during our lunch time," said Carlos Funtes, manager of La Fiesta. "Our lunch has slowed down about 50 percent."

That 50 percent loss is one Funtes says he can't afford to take, especially since the construction in front of his restaurant hasn't even started.

"The people coming from uptown Maumee or other areas, it takes them 10 minutes to get here now," he said. "If they only have 45 minutes for lunch, they're wasting 30 minutes coming back and forth to the restaurant."

The story is different for Deet's BBQ, where a still-active traffic light helps direct traffic toward them. They've also found a positive way to spin the work.

"Everybody has to eat," said Co-owner Trevor Deeter. "So, you know, we go out and talk to the construction guys and treat them well, and they come in and have lunch."

Business owners agreed, though, that they want the project to be complete by the June deadline.

Before You Leave, Check This Out