Commuters will want to avoid a busy intersection on North Cliff Avenue starting Thursday morning. Crews will be rebuilding the intersection at North Cliff and 60th Street North from now until early November.
In the meantime, traffic will be reduced to single lanes in each direction, with no left turns allowed. One business located next to the intersection has already seen a slowdown in customers.
The work on 60th Street North is the latest phase of a nearly $11 million upgrade along North Cliff Avenue that began in May. That's when business started dropping off at a nearby cappuccino stand.
Commuters in need of a caffeine fix pull up to the Cappuccino Cabin.
"My house blend coffee is my top seller," Cappuccino Cabin owner Tamie Payton said.
But cabin fever has been cooling off every since construction started this spring on North Cliff Avenue.
"It's been down about 80 cars, but I'm down to about 40 transactions, so it really hurts," Payton said.
Payton worries business will completely dry up with construction starting at the intersection of North Cliff and 60th Street North. The city is urging drivers to avoid the intersection, but not the businesses located nearby.
"It's important for everyone to know that all the businesses are open throughout this construction and they are open for business and we do see quite a few people continuing to patronize the businesses so don't be scared of the construction," Sioux Falls Public Works Department Principal Engineer Brad Ludens said.
The construction company has 60 days to complete this project or face a fine from the city. But the owner of the Cappuccino Cabin says she may not have that long.
"If things don't change, I'll probably be closed by the end of the month," Payton said.
Payton hopes enough of her regulars will keep streaming in during construction to keep the java flowing and her business afloat.
Payton is staying open three hours longer during the week hoping the new schedule will bring in more customers.
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