SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Reconstruction of a major intersection in Sioux falls got underway Wednesday.
Construction crews began their first full day of work on Thursday. They will be widening the roads and installing a lot of under ground utilities. They will also build three pedestrian underpasses in addition to the normal crosswalks.
The intersection of Arrowhead Parkway and Veterans Parkway will be under construction for a couple of years. Area businesses will be impacted during construction.
Business like Uncle Ed’s Specialty Meats expects there to be an impact. Thursday, customers were lining up for the day’s chislic lunch special. The general manager is hoping customers will still find their way to the shop which overlooks the intersection.
“It might be a little bit of a hiccup, but we do have a really loyal customer base, so as long as people know they’ve got full access to us from 6 mile road you can head down 41st or Madison and it shouldn’t be too much,” said Jamie Munce.
The city says it will do it’s best to maintain access for businesses, that means keeping at least one lane open for the majority of the project. Veterans Parkway will have one lane open in each direction through the summer and into the fall.
Jay Egge Automatic Service will also be impacted.
“All the businesses over here are still open, a little bit more difficult to get to us, but us and Uncle Ed’s and Arrowhead Automotive there are 10 more businesses too so don’t forget about us. If you need help getting here please feel free to call,” said Joe Egge.
On Thursday there was a lot of traffic backup on Veterans Parkway during peak traffic times.
This project is designed to better handle the traffic as the east side of Sioux Falls continues to grow.
Both businesses encourage their customers to avoid using nearby residential streets as detours during the construction. Along with Madison Avenue, Six Mile Road and 41st Street, Sycamore avenue will also be used as a main route during construction.
