CLEVELAND — Both car and foot traffic have returned to businesses along Cleveland's Carnegie Avenue.
"We're doing much better," said Lenny Weiss, a co-owner of Bee Clean Car Wash. "We were almost out of business."
That was the situation back in February when Weiss and other business owners reached out to News 5 about the prolonged construction along Carnegie Avenue:
RELATED: Carnegie Avenue business owners fed up with construction project
At the time, the business owners were frustrated with the cones lining the eastbound lanes of East 55th to East 79th streets. They said the construction project was keeping customers from their businesses.
"No one is out there working," Rubin Swift, owner of the Shell Gas Station, said at the time. "There's just cones out. They haven't dug anything out. We're basically saying open back up the streets when you get people to do the work. Then, close it back down."
Swift and Weiss said the situation changed in just a matter of days.
"A few days after you ran the story," Swift said. "They were down there working."
Both men said customers also started returning shortly after the story aired. Many said they didn't know the businesses were open until they saw it on TV.
Three months later, it seems the business owners have gotten their wish. Two-way traffic is open between East 65th and East 79th streets and allows easier access to Weiss' car wash and Swift's gas station.
However, the Carnegie Avenue project still has a way to go. News 5 reached out to the City of Cleveland for an update. The city said work on the curbs and walkways continues on the south side of the road. Then, similar work will need to be completed on the north side. Traffic will be flipped to accommodate.
The good news is the city said the project could be completed as early as August, two months ahead of the original schedule.
Although traffic cones still line the street, the owners, who call themselves The Carnegie Alliance, still feel like winners.
"We've got traffic coming up now," Swift said. "That wasn't happening a few months ago. We were almost dead in the water."
The alliance is thankful to the city, its customers, and News 5 for their support and for listening.
"This is a news station that, if you know you have problems, you call and you get it done," Swift said. "Yours is a station that follows through."
