LA PLUME TOWNSHIP -- While PennDOT rebuilds a highway in Lackawanna County, businesses along the road say they are falling apart.
It's a billboard of sorts on a bright orange barrel advertising "Jackson And Jill" but the owners of the children's clothing store say as long as the barrels are outside their business, they're going to struggle.
"We've seen a drastic decline in our business since the construction has started," said Wendy Nordmark. "Most of our customers don't want to have to traverse this kind of construction."
Nordmark says only one person has stopped at the store in La Plume Township this week. Online sales are keeping them afloat now but Nordmark fears they may close while the work to rebuild Routes 6 and 11 continues.
"This is not like something we can control," Nordmark added. "Unfortunately there's no option for us to do, we can't do any more than we're already doing. This is something we have no control over and that's what's so frustrating for us."
The owners of Trovato's Meat Market in Glenburn Township have noticed a change too. They're seeing only loyal customers.
"It's maybe off a little bit, that extra, people that are avoiding it, that aren't coming home the way they normally would. Maybe they're going around the other way. But, for the most part, it hasn't been too bad," said Al Trovato.
Businesses on the southern side of Route 6 and 11 say the only thing they have to look forward to is when their side of the highway reopens, but that of course, means the other side will close.
"We complain to each other," said Scott LaCoe, Dalton Do It Center. "This year, everybody on that side of the road is really getting hurt, they're talking to us and explaining to us what's going to happen next year I guess."
LaCoe says since traffic goes right by his business, customers can get to him easily.
PennDOT says all lanes of traffic will be open this winter. The northern lanes will close in the spring.
"It will be very nice when it's done," said LaCoe. "The original plan was November of 2017, so hopefully it really will be and it will be nice when it's done."
PennDOT expects an even closer completion date mid-2017.