Delayed renovation work on the Wilcox Tunnel could pay off for some area businesses.
City officials announced Monday at a meeting of residents at the Eastdale Youth and Family Development Center that they had developed “a construction mitigation program” as a result of a previous meeting with residents and business owners affected by the tunnel work.
The work on the 84-year tunnel originally was scheduled to be completed this month but now has a completion date of April 11.
While construction projects unquestionably can affect area businesses in the form of less traffic, and thus fewer sales, the city has properly said the $1,000 small business construction mitigation grants it will offer will be awarded based on specific parameters.
The businesses which believe they have been affected by work projects lasting more than 90 days – in the case of the tunnel and across the city in the future – must have fewer than 50 employees. The grants, then, will be given on a case-by-case basis based on construction duration, proximity to construction and severity of traffic disruption.