How will the massive Sashabaw Road widening project affect those who have businesses between Waldon and Maybee roads?
‘That really has been our question,? according to Paul Cuzzocrea of AAA Insurance. ‘Access is really going to be key. People tend to stay away during heavy construction.?
Groundbreaking for the $9.6 million road widening project was scheduled for Wednesday, March 10. While many are looking forward to the eventual four-lane boulevard promised to be complete by November, the months in between promise to be a challenge.
‘We’re concerned,? Cuzzocrea said. His office received advance notice of the power being shut off for six hours on Saturday, Feb. 28 during some of the preliminary utility work, but has received no other notice of construction details.
Dr. John Cowan of Cowan Chiropractic shares a Sashabaw Road complex with a dentist and an orthopedic surgeon. While retail businesses have a right to be concerned, he said access for his patients is critical.
‘We are quite concerned about it,? Cowan said. ‘We are in the business of emergency care.?
Cowan has a couple Independence Township trustees as patients, so he has had several conversations about the upcoming construction, planned for months as part of the township’s master plan to create a ‘town center? district.
‘We have the guarantee so far that the road will be open, so patients can get in and out,? Cowan said, and he has been given a telephone number to stay in contact with representatives of the Road Commission for Oakland County.
Affected business owners tend to agree that the work is needed, and will be of benefit when it is complete.
Cuzzocrea and Cowan both said their clientele have complained of the difficulties of left turns onto the current two-lane road.
‘I think what they’re doing absolutely needs to be done, and we have to bite the bullet until it is done,? Cuzzocrea said.
While several fear decreased business during the months of construction, Dan Burleigh of Little Dana’s Pizza and Deli anticipates increased business from construction workers during lunch breaks. He said additional business has already come from crews working on a nearby residential development.
‘I truly believe we will have more business,? Burleigh said. ‘All these guys have to eat, and they all like beer. We’re already getting the dirt movers.?
Burleigh is among those who will send letters to regular customers asking for their patience while the road is torn up with construction work.
The business of education must continue during road construction, and Pine Tree Elementary School Principal K.C. Leh is trying to plan ahead.
She plans a letter to parents as soon as the road commission provides additional details about the construction. She is grateful for the public hearings last year, and school officials made their voices heard.
‘We talked a lot of this through then,? she said. ‘They don’t anticipate, at least in the beginning, going down to one lane.?
A big sigh of relief came with the assurance that the traffic signal in front of the school building will stay, assisting the estimated 50 to 75 private vehicles (and six school buses) dropping off and picking up students each day.
‘You’re trying to get everyone in and out in a short period of time,? she said. ‘As long as that light is there, we’ll be OK.?
While much of the Sashabaw Road construction will take place while school is out for the summer, Leh noted scheduled school bond construction this summer.
‘We’re going to have a lot of issues other than buses,? she said, joking about how she plans to cope. ‘I’m going to have a big bottle of Tylenol.?
Leh anticipates more problems when school reopens in the fall, depending on how well the road crews progress toward their November deadline. Nonetheless, she joined business owners in welcoming the end product.
‘The improvement of the road is going to be worth whatever we have to go through,? she said, noting existing safety problems. ‘I’ve seen parents smashed up out there. I’m waiting for a [more] serious accident.?
Craig Bryson, RCOC public information officer, said the goal is to keep the road open (even if occasional lane closures are needed). While the general public will be encouraged to find alternate routes, generic ‘Businesses open during construction? signs will also be posted.
Bryson said the worst weeks for businesses will likely be the first couple weeks and last couple weeks of the project. The first construction priority, for example, is to install new storm sewers along and under the existing pavement. Then most of the work will move off the existing roadway for construction of new southbound lanes.
When the new lanes are complete, all traffic will be moved to those lanes to allow for removal of the existing pavement and construction of new northbound lanes.
‘For the most part through traffic should be OK,? Bryson said. ‘It certainly is a challenge, but unfortunately there’s no easy solution to that.?