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Source: The Salina Journal, Kan.迷你倉Nov. 08--ABILENE -- A realization that roads need occasional maintenance and/or reconstruction hasn't alleviated Abilene's pain this fall.Some business owners along North Buckeye Avenue said the $24.1 million Interstate Highway 70 project that has closed the eastbound off and on ramps to Abilene since late August has drastically cut sales."The people I know are upset that it's taking this long," said Lucy Worthen, owner of Yesterday's Rose Antique Mall.When the project was first announced, she said, the ramp was supposed to be closed seven to eight weeks."It has taken quite a bit longer. There have been two different dates," Worthen said.The four-lane highway is reduced to one lane each way for 12 miles from a mile west of Abilene to the Chapman interchange, and the eastbound ramps at Abilene are closed."We've estimated that the Abilene businesses have lost between $9 (million) and $12 million from this project," said David Dillner, Abilene city manager."We knew there was a project on the interstate, but we did not know they were going to shut down the ramps until the Friday before. They shut them down early the next week," he said.A news release was issued Aug. 16, informing the public that the ramps would be shut down, said David Greiser, north-central Kansas public affairs manager. It was about three days before the ramps were closed.They knew before thatAfter checking with KDOT engineers Thursday, Greiser said the city of Abilene was informed much earlier than Aug. 16."The city and (Dickinson) county both had representatives present at the field check at least a year prior to letting the project for bid," he said. "All of the aspects of the project, including the ramp closings, would have been reviewed at that time, and we've had ongoing communication with the city and county between that time and now, so our understanding is that they were fully aware of this project."Dillner acknowledged that the city may have had a representative at the field check, possibly John Gough, who was the city and county engineer at the time. But Gough has since been fired from the city's staff. He continues to serve as the county engineer, Dillner said."Yes (Greiser's) probably right, but that information was never relayed to anyone on (the city) staff," Dillner said. "It's our fault that one of our employees had the information but it wasn't appropriately shared with upper management, so that something could have been done proactively."While a field check "is good planning," he said, "it doesn't provide us with exact dates when something was going to be closed."As much as $24 millionDillner fears that "if KDOT doesn't change," the cumulative effect on Abilene sales after the second half of the project is completed next year could reach $18 million to $24 million, or up to matching the total cost of the project.To reach the businesses that rely partly on I-70 motorists, most motorists are leaving the interstate at Fair Road, exit 272, near the Russell Stover plant west of town, or they take Jeep Road, exit 277, east of town, and circle back, either on I-70 westbound, or on Old Highway 40."The traveler business has hurt a lot," Worthen said. "When I travel and see road construction, I just go onto the next town. In Abilene, we have just one business exit, and that's what hurts."Rittel's Western Wear relies on trade from Salina, owner Jerry Rittel said. He guessed business is down 30 to 50 percent since the orange cones went up."All along the line here, if you talk to people, they're gonna tell you the same thing," Rittel said. "Everybody's bitchin' about it. Nobody likes it."Has to Nov. 22 to finishThe project involves milling off and replacing the top 3.5 inches of the road surface with concrete and improvements to a number of bridges, Greiser said Thursday."All change is painful," he said. "We文件倉re completely sympathetic with the public and we appreciate their patience."The contractor, Ideker, of St. Joseph, Mo., has until Nov. 22 to complete the first half of the project, open up the ramp and return to four-lane traffic.The eastbound off-ramp at Abilene is supposed to be open during the middle of next week, Greiser said, but the ramp returning eastbound traffic to I-70 will take longer, possibly until the 22nd.The interstate will remain at four lanes until next spring when the westbound lanes will be closed on the north side over the same 12 miles.Important to commerceThe interstate highway is important to commerce, said Tim Holm, owner of Holm Automotive in Abilene. He's not sure how much, but the ramp being closed has affected his business."It certainly has been confusing for our customers coming from the west, and the signage has been very poorly done. That's something the highway department needs to take a look at," Holm said. "Some of our more senior clients have not been wanting to deal with the confusion of getting out of town."Earlier completion dates have been bantered about in the tourist-rich town, he said."There have been some hopeful expectations of dates that have not been met, and that's been a little dispiriting," Holm said.KDOT's Greiser said the project is on schedule."We always try to be out of everyone's way by Thanksgiving, and we're going to succeed at doing that this year," Greiser said.It kept getting extendedCity Manager Dillner said the city was first informed in August that the ramps would reopened in three to four weeks."Then they came back and said it would be eight weeks. Then they came back and said it would be Nov. 11, or 12 weeks," he said.When the project returns next spring, motorists can expect temporary lane closings as early as March and a total closure in April.The Brookville Hotel, known for its chicken dinners, has lost a few hundred customers since August, owner Mark Martin said, partly because the nature of his business is different than those depending on "impulse customers," such as a fast-food restaurant or convenience store.Not an impulse business"To be honest, the livelihood of those businesses has been affected. Those people depend on people coming off the interstate. If they go another 20 miles, Abilene's just lost them," Martin said. "We're kind of a destination-type restaurant. Those people making their stops probably already know about us in Abilene."He's concerned about the signs on the highway aimed to inform travelers what they might find for food or other services at a given exit. Martin has asked the city of Abilene to temporarily move those signs to the detour exits.Dillner said that the original length of time for the ramps to be closed was three to four weeks and it would have taken at least two weeks to have temporary signs made.After the closure time was lengthened, the city did have signs made that direct travelers to Abilene businesses."They're pretty vague and general. They basically say 'Abilene businesses, food, lodging,' that kind of stuff, with arrows, of course," Dillner said. "We didn't want to pick one business over the others."Have to get through itBecause more of his business comes from the east, Martin is concerned about a drop in sales when the westbound lanes are closed next year."We'll just have to weather through it," he said. "The city needs to make an effort to represent us on the interstate."Moving logo signs is possible, Greiser said."If the city would like to sit down with KDOT," he said, "we would be open to seeing if we can work something out between now and next spring."-- Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by email at tunruh@salina.com.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Salina Journal (Salina, Kan.) Visit The Salina Journal (Salina, Kan.) at .saljournal.com Distributed by MCT Information Services存倉