‘It makes it really hard’: Lincoln small business voices struggles with lengthy road construction

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Construction can bring improvement to a city, but for some small business owners, it’s bringing real struggles.

The street improvement project is taking place on Adams Street from 38th to 49th streets.

Construction crews have been hard at work outside of Kelly’s Produce shop for weeks.

But, at Kelly’s Produce, it’s quieter than ever.

“I noticed this morning that I had my first customer at 10:33, which is insane,” said owner of Kelly’s Produce, Kelly Abbott. “Usually I have customers waiting here at 9 o’clock before I even open.”

Abbott took to Facebook voicing her frustrations.

She said sales have dropped significantly since road work began with limited parking and blocked off sidewalks.

“My job description is a lot different these days,” she said. “I find myself helping them (customers) back out and into the side street.”

Abbott said being a produce owner also takes another toll.

“It makes it really hard when you’re doing produce because the stuff you can’t just order and get in the next day,” she said.

City officials said the project is part of a larger effort to upgrade roads and improve traffic flow and the work is expected to be completed by mid-winter.

In a statement, the Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department said: “LTU continues to stay dedicated to minimizing impacts to area businesses and ensure customer access is available to all businesses in the area during construction. We appreciate the community’s patience while the necessary work is under way.”

But for small businesses like Kelly’s Produce, every day of construction means another day with fewer customers.

“I’ve been open 26 years, I’ve been owning Kelly’s Produce for that long, and this has been by far the most challenging year in the making,” Abbott said.