NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — A major construction project in Noblesville may have just hit a roadblock.
INDOT officials say crews found large gas tanks underground in the downtown square. Shop owners along that route are concerned about the potential setback after already losing a lot of business since construction began.
According to an INDOT spokesperson, environmental testing Wednesday will determine just how long construction on State Road 32 will be delayed, if at all. Local business owners say the project has already deterred a significant number of customers from visiting them over the past few months.
“It was almost a little bit of devastation,” Karisma Boutique owner Kari Clouse said.
Phase three of construction has the street where Karisma Boutique sits shut down. The store’s owner says each phase before it has also clogged nearby roads, leading to a sharp decline in sales.
“It’s truly been the whole season,” Clouse said. “The end of April through now, definitely through the end of July, maybe encroaching into August. I don’t feel like we can really come up for air.”
Klouse is hoping the soil there tests clean, so only tanks found under the street will need to be dug out. If contaminated, though, all seven tanks will have to come up, including those that are under the sidewalk.
“Now, with the holidays, and the weather and this, it’s really going to put a damper on things,” Clouse added.
One shopper said supporting local businesses is important to her, but coming out for special events hasn’t been worth the hassle.
“I’m actually a Fishers resident, but I come shopping up here because I love the antique stores,” Hardin said. “So, I just hope they truck through it and people keep supporting them.”
Business owners like Kari Clouse are asking the community not to give up on them, saying there is plenty of parking available, especially at garages. And at least for now, the sidewalk is still open.
“Maybe just be patient and don’t be alarmed on how it might look because it’s not as bad as it looks,” Clouse said. “I don’t think anybody really realizes just coming in here from 32 west how easy it is to turn in and get south downtown.”
INDOT officials say, without the results of Wednesday’s tests, the complete timeline of the project is unclear. Each of the four phases were originally estimated to take 30-45 days to finish.
