Road Closures Across Evansville Take a Toll on Business Owners

If you've spent any time at all in Evansville, you know you are bound to encounter road construction in the city. It is really starting to have a tremendous impact on area businesses, and not in a good way.

Downtown Evansville Street Closures Add to Business Strain

In Downtown Evansville alone, a portion of Riverside Drive is closed after a water main break in February formed a sinkhole, resulting in the discovery of a collapsed sewer. There's the stretch of Bob Jones Way, also known as Walnut Street, that is closed to through traffic near the EVPL's Central Branch, and we can't forget about the ongoing construction of a new downtown building that has kept Sycamore Street closed for months. It's the latter that has one local business offering up a cash reward if the street can be reopened.

Your Brother’s Bookstore and Arcademie Speak Out

Independent bookseller, Your Brother's Bookstore, has been very vocal on social media about the negative impact the downtown construction projects have had on their business. Most recently, nearby Arcademie took to Facebook to offer the developers of the new complex a hefty incentive.

Since we’ve not heard from you and Sycamore Street remains closed, we started thinking maybe our offer of $500 to re-open the road to traffic wasn’t incentive enough. After all, many have pointed out that your 150+ apartment project – again, a project we’re thrilled for, and have been waiting on for years - likely costs upwards of $20,000, why would $500 matter? But in an economy made even more challenging by an endless street closure, your deafening silence has been heard loud and clear. Brinkmanship. Well played….We’re prepared today to offer you $2,500 to re-open Sycamore St by Friday, August 15th.

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But it isn't just downtown that is plagued by construction. Last weekend, I encountered construction and orange barrels on both Boeke between the Lloyd and Morgan Avenue, and more orange barrels while traveling east on Morgan.

One of the busiest intersections in Evansville, Burkhardt and the Lloyd Expressway, is bottlenecking southbound traffic. Likewise, the eastbound lanes of Lloyd now bottleneck at the Green River Road overpass as part of the Lloyd4U project, and it isn't any better on the west side of town either.

Motorists Voice Safety Concerns Over Lloyd Lane Markings

There have been a lot of complaints from motorists about the poorly marked lanes on the Lloyd since the project began, too. Old lines are still visible, and new lines have been added, making it challenging for drivers to know where they should be on the road. Many are complaining of near-miss collisions while traveling on the Loyd. One motorist says he has had multiple close calls because of the lines.

You guys have created a very dangerous situation at all of these new intersections. Drivers are too confused on what lane to stay in with these new intersections, you’ve done a terrible job at taking the old lines off the road and another terrible job at painting the new ones! I have been cut off and almost hit multiple times because people don’t know how to stay in their lane because of the directions of the lanes and lines!!!

And speaking of the Lloyd4U project. This project is responsible for the new displaced left turns on the Lloyd, and one of those displaced left turns is located at the intersection of Stockwell Road.

Stockwell Inn Cuts Hours After Decline in Business

It's just a short drive north on Stockwell where The Stockwell Inn is located, a small tavern that's been serving cold beer and delicious food in Evansville for four decades. Today, the Stockwell Inn shared the news that even after cutting staff hours, the latest construction near them is crushing their business.

Stockwell Inn took to Facebook to share the changes coming as a result of the construction. They say the current construction project on Stockwell is expected to last at least two more months, and the resulting decline in business has forced them to make some hard decisions.

Due to business suffering through this 5 month Stockwell Road closure & being told that it will be 2 more months we are going to have to make some changes. We have already had to cut employee hours but it's not enough. For the 1st time in our 40 year history we are going to start closing on Saturdays & start closing the kitchen at 9pm M- F. When & if the road ever opens we will hopefully go back to our normal hours..

Construction Adds to Challenges for Local Businesses

Small businesses across the area are struggling as consumers face the continued increase in cost of living, forcing many residents to dial back their spending and trim their budgets for things like entertainment and eating out. All of the construction across the city is just an added strain that many businesses can't shoulder.

As Evansville continues to juggle multiple construction projects, the challenges are stacking up for both drivers and local businesses. Confusing lane markings, extended closures, and months-long delays are creating safety concerns on the road while choking off the customer traffic small businesses rely on to survive.