Elm Grove business owners have mixed reactions to Monument Place bridge closure | News, sports, jobs
Photo by: Emma Delk
Wheelcraft Bicycles owner Andrew Hollis enjoyed the quiet provided by decreased car traffic at his store due to the closure of the Monument Place Bridge.
WHEEL – Elm Grove business owners have been experiencing a range of effects on their establishments just over a month after the Monument Place Bridge closed for repairs.
Some business owners experienced little or no drop in sales due to the closure of the neighborhood’s main artery, which began on April 15th and lasts until the end of the year. Others were hassled by drivers crossing their parking lots to avoid traffic diversions.
The positives of the closure far outweigh the negatives for Wheelcraft Bicycles owner Andrew Hollis, who admitted last Thursday that he wouldn’t mind if the bridge never reopened.
The most notable benefit of the closure for Hollis is the “significant reduction” in traffic in front of his store, meaning the amount of road noise reaching his store has greatly decreased.
“I was surprised the first day the bridge was closed, it was like the power had been turned off because it was so quiet,” Hollis described. “Before the bridge was closed, there was noise in front of our store all day because of people revving their engines.”
Hollis noted that the lack of road noise in his store also made the experience for customers when testing bikes in his parking lot more pleasant.
“It’s a lot more peaceful now,” Hollis said. “We can open the front door now since there are no cars passing by. I’m glad the trucks aren’t rattling my windows anymore.”
In addition to more peace and quiet, Hollis said the store was experiencing a “normal summer” in terms of business. Before the bridge closure, he predicted significant traffic congestion from 3pm to 6pm in front of his store and a decrease in afternoon traffic. Hollis has found neither so far.
One downside of the closure to Hollis is that drivers illegally cut through parking to avoid traffic on Lumber Avenue, which is a local bypass for the closure. The official West Virginia Division of Highways bypass is Interstate 70, entering and exiting at Elm Grove or the Washington Avenue exit.
Hollis added that even more residents were crossing the parking lot near WesBanco Bank, which led to “a few collisions.”
“It’s not an all-day thing with people mowing our lot,” added Wheelcraft Bicycles employee Bob Turner. “Every once in a while someone does this, and it’s no big deal. The biggest problem is that they go too fast.”
Patty’s Hair Shop owner Patty Contraguerro also enjoyed a quieter storefront with less traffic.
Before the closure, Contraguerro anticipated little to no effect of the bridge closure on his business, as his store is further down the bridge and relies on foot traffic. A month later, Contraguerro concluded that his prediction was correct.
“I didn’t feel any impact,” Contraguerro said. “It’s good because the traffic here was always congested around 3pm (when the Monument Bridge was open). I don’t feel like it’s impacted the business, so it’s been good.”
Although her business was running “very well,” Contraguerro added that she worries about the stores closest to the bridge and how they are weathering the shutdown. She recalled that the lack of parking in other commercial establishments in the region due to the works may discourage residents from visiting certain businesses.
“For me, it’s not a big deal to have to park and then walk somewhere, but some people freak out if you can’t park exactly where they want to go,” Contraguerro explained. “It’s not bad to walk around here, but sometimes people can be lazy.”
Silver Chopsticks owner Angela Truong also “wasn’t hit too hard” by the bridge closure, saying business was “good at this point.”
“Most days, my waiters tell me that rush hour for us was normal,” she noted. “It’s a little inconvenient, but our regular customers come here. The locals know how to get around the closure.”
Truong added that traffic in the area “wasn’t that bad,” but she saw some cars cutting through the restaurant’s parking lot to avoid the detour.
After hearing “all the negatives” surrounding the closure leading up to April 15, Elite Massage Therapy owner and president of the Grove Business Association, Kristy Ferguson, was happy the biggest impact of the closure was drivers adapting to the detour. .
Ferguson’s business is along Lumber Avenue, and she witnessed “a few speeding tickets” given to drivers unfamiliar with the speed limits of the area taking the detour. She noted a police presence along the stretch of bypass road, which Ferguson hopes will help reduce speed limit violations and illegal parking cuts.
Ferguson has also seen drivers crossing her parking lot “frequently,” so she and her employees now park their cars in a way that prevents people from crossing the parking lot.
“I see a little bit of traffic around here when school lets out between 2:45 and 3:30 p.m., so it will get a little congested in front of my business, but it moves pretty quickly,” Ferguson added. “The same goes for the 5 o’clock traffic, it gets a little congested, but it seems to clear up very quickly.”
Ferguson added that she also has not received complaints from residents along Overbrook Avenue who were concerned about heavy traffic coming into their neighborhood due to Lumber Avenue being near their street.
Another group Ferguson has yet to hear complaints about the closure are members of the Elm Grove Business Association.
“The bridge appears to be moving quickly and the project is on schedule, so I think we’re all happy with that,” she noted. “There was a lot of negativity and concern initially, and I answered a lot of questions and phone calls. It actually ended up being no big deal.”
While Ferguson expects the effect of the closure to remain minimal throughout the year, she noted that Elm Grove business owners and residents could face the same inconveniences when the Shilling Bridge is replaced next year.
“That’s coming and maybe it will make things a little more complicated, but the drivers will just have to drive another 30 meters,” Ferguson added. “It’s good that this work is happening on these structures and we were very lucky to avoid a major catastrophe due to the advanced age of these bridges.”
