A large stretch of Grand River Avenue has been closed for much of the summer for construction, diverting potential customers away from businesses located on East Lansing’s busiest street.
Grand River Avenue is shut down between Gunson Street and Woodmere Avenue while the city replaces old water mains to prepare for a major sewer project that should reduce flooding during large storms. Construction is expected to continue through most of July.
While construction takes place, the road closure has blocked off the main entrances to several establishments located along Grand River. To access these businesses, customers have to take side streets to enter through secondary entrances. Some impacted business owners and employees say they have seen fewer than half of the customers they do in a typical summer and have had to make adjustments like reducing the number of hours they are open or having fewer employees work each shift.
With main access points closed off to the public, several establishments along Grand River have experienced a loss in consumer traffic. Admiral Petroleum Co Manager Yahya Aljaloov said the station has experienced a 70% loss in business…