Downtown construction creates challenging environment for businesses and locals

ROCHESTER, N.Y. Road closures and construction projects are daily obstacles for many, including those who drive through downtown Rochester.

News10NBC found a particular project along State Street that is presenting new challenges for business owners and people who live nearby. The State Street project is slated to be done by the end of this year, a day that can’t come soon enough for many local businesses and commuters.

As lane closures along State Street continue to cause traffic congestion, Luis Colon said he’s just thankful to have an established business.

“We are well known in Rochester so everyone that comes in from downtown Rochester comes to see us for lunch,” Colon said.

The Pizza Stop, located along a portion of State Street, is impacted by sidewalk construction. Colon said it’s his evening hour business that has been impacted most by construction.

“What I can say is that it’s been affecting our nighttime business as far as having a place to park for people to pick up a pizza and go freely,” Colon said.

According to City of Rochester documents, the project will add new dedicated bicycle lanes to the road, reconfigure parking spaces, and shorten pedestrian crossings. These are construction projects that parents like Jessica Clark are hoping will come to an end soon.

“I drop my son off at daycare here in the morning, so earlier in the winter we had to park all the way around the corner,” Clark said. “So on a cold freezing day it was a pain.”

Picking up her kids from daycare on Friday, Clark said she is ready for all lanes of traffic to be open.

“Now it’s one way so getting here is a little more complicated so traffic going this way but I’m going that way to go home,” Clark said.

But until then, business owners like Colon are depending on the generosity and patience of loyal customers.

“Construction guys have just been coming in here and there and been keeping us updated on what has been going on,” Colon said.

Colon says construction workers outside his business told him the sidewalk should be done within the next few months.