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Bridge Project Burdens Businesses

SHENANDOAH — A bridge project in Schuylkill County is not only backing up traffic near the construction, but some businesses claim it’s hurting them...
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SHENANDOAH -- A bridge project in Schuylkill County is not only backing up traffic near the construction, but some businesses claim it's hurting them. One even says it has to close.

Fran Green has owned Gold Star Beverage in Shenandoah for two years. He took it over after the previous owner closed abruptly and says he's just now starting to rebuild a customer base.

"We were doing very well up until the construction started. As soon as the construction started, it's been devastating," Green said.

Just in front of Green's business on Main Street, PennDOT has begun work a bridge project. While it rebuilds the deteriorating bridge that connects the borough with Mahanoy Township, four lanes of traffic are being funneled into one.

Green says at certain times of the day traffic can be backed up for up to 20 minutes. Customers get confused about how to get into his business and some avoid Main Street altogether. He's lost almost one-third of his business since the project started a month ago.

"This week here alone we lost $5000. To me that is huge. My profit margins are very very tight in this business," said Green.

Employees at a nearby Valero say the business has been affected by this project as well. Most of the business's entrance has been blocked by the construction project. At this point, they say they are lucky if they see two maybe three customers a day. They are now planning to close.

"That's absolutely ashamed. [I] feel so bad for them because they just did reopen. It's just the inconvenience and difficulty getting into their lot," said Anna Marie Decusky.

Decusky owns Chill Out Ice Cream near the bridge project. She hasn't opened her business yet for the season, but has already decided to change her hours because of this project.

"The evening is much, much better as far as traffic wise goes, and that is the bulk of our businesses."

PennDOT expects this project to be complete by November.

Some businesses have reached out to state lawmakers to see if a better traffic pattern can be developed to help the businesses near this bridge project.

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