WEST HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) -
Some business owners in West Hartford are complaining about a multi-million dollar state construction project on New Britain Avenue that they said is hurting their profits.
In April 2011, the state started widening roads while adding new pedestrian islands, traffic signals, turning lanes and sidewalks along New Britain Avenue from Mayflower Street to South Street.
"It seems like it's taking so darn long. So darn long," said Radigan's Barbershop owner Jack Radigan.
The $5.2 million road revamping project, which is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is currently under way and Radigan said it is hurting his business.
"I lost about $500 last week in the business completely," he said.
Radigan told Eyewitness News that the project was supposed to be wrapped up this month.
"They're (customers) scared to come in through all the traffic, and then a lot of times it's not easy to get in," he said.
Beachland Tavern owner Chip Kohn said his business is hurting too.
"Since July, since they've been directly in front of me," he said, "it's hurt my lunch business probably more than 50 percent."
The Department of Transportation, who is in charge of the project, has received no complaints about the project. If the state organization had received concerns, it would be able to address them, spokesman Kevin Nursick said.
The project was initially pushed for by the business owners in the area, according to the DOT.
DOT crews ran into unexpected problems underground, which caused delays in the construction.
"So we are relocating all these utilities - whether electric, cable, and phone and while we are installing a enitrely new drainage system - we ran into things underground that weren't expected and it's not easy to resolve," Nursick said. "We actually have to go back and redesign portions of the project to deal with these conflicting utility issues."
DOT expects the project to be completed by late November or early December.
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