PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It has been a week since the southbound lanes of I-5 closed in the Rose Quarter. The closure of the two-mile stretch has affected drivers and businesses.
Deek Heykamp, owner of Next Adventure in Southeast Portland, said they are tracking fewer customers coming into his store since the I-5 project began. Heykamp said Monday there was a 68% drop in sales. He believes this is due to people avoiding driving in the city after the Oregon Department of Transportation warned of possible traffic because of construction.
“Hats off to ODOT for kind of warning people to try to control congestion. That was awesome on their part, but it is something that we’re concerned about down here in southeast that people are just going to stop coming during the construction,” said Heykamp. “Now again, that’s bounced back a little bit, but we saw a dramatic, dramatic downfall.”…