CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — Ahead of a $6 million reconstruction project set to begin April 29, utility work has begun on Howe Avenue, a major roadway that services one of Summit County’s busiest shopping centers. With more than 20,000 vehicles using Howe Ave. on a daily basis, business owners in the area are bracing for the potential impact that construction will have on their bottom line.
Phase 1 of the construction project includes the complete closure of Howe Avenue between Route 8 and Main Street for roughly a month, weather permitting. As part of the first phase of the project, the decades-old concrete on the small stretch of roadway will be torn out to make way for new asphalt.
Beginning soon thereafter, the second phase involves the closure of the eastbound lanes between Main Street and Buchholzer Boulevard will be closed. Eastbound traffic will be detoured onto Independence Avenue. The second phase of the project is expected to take more than a year. Drivers wanting to go to the dozens of shops and department stores will still be able to access the parking lots through the dedicated shopping center driveways.
Joseph Fallucco, an employee at Mr. Bulky’s Foods, said he and other staff at the decades-old candy store have been alerting customers to the upcoming changes.
“I think it’s going to be rough, especially for the first couple of months… when people are trying to adjust and find a better way to get here,” Fallucco said. “I think it will impact us in the beginning but after a while I think we’ll be alright.”
Mr. Bulky’s was one of the original tenants of the shopping complex that opened 33 years ago. It has survived on the availability of its unique products as well as word-of-mouth, Fallucco said. The major road project has also provided the perfect opportunity to ramp up the store’s online business.
“I think word of mouth is a really big supporter of why we are still around,” Fallucco said. “I think with every customer that comes in we’ll try to talk to them and say, ‘hey, we’re still going to be here.’”
That’s the same advice the staff of El Papa’s Bar and Grill have been giving its customers too. Serving up classic Mexican entrees, the restaurant has been trying to build up its regular customer base since it opened six months ago. Juan Rodriguez, a co-owner of the family business, hopes the year-and-a-half long construction project doesn’t disrupt that.
“When you like some place, you go to it. When you need something from Home Depot or you need a hair cut, you find your way to go,” Rodriguez said. “It’s going to hurt a little bit for sure but it’s not forever. We’ll be a little hurt by the traffic. We’ll be okay. I hope they move quickly and they do good. That road needs to be fixed.”
Portions of the concrete date back to when the road was originally built in the early 1960s and it certainly shows its age. As part of the overhaul, sidewalks will be rebuilt and new traffic signage aimed at improving traffic flow will also be added.
“There’s a lot of accidents. A lot of times, there are a lot of potholes and people have damage to their cars,” Fallucco said.
ODOT is leading the project, which is being financed through federal, state and local money. Officials have set up a website (www.howeavenue.com) so residents can keep up to date on the project’s progress. It is expected to be complete by the late summer or fall of 2020.
