Businesses see light at end of road construction

SCOTTSDALE - Traffic is flowing more freely at Scottsdale Road and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, and area businesses hope that means customers weary of road construction will forgive, forget and start coming back.

"The good news is, I think the worst is over," said Kerry Phelps, owner of the Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery southwest of the intersection.

The construction project at one of Scottsdale's busiest intersections has meant headaches for drivers and area businesses since it started in August.

For two months, it funneled traffic to one lane in each direction, forcing drivers to wait through red light after red light and sending them into area stores and restaurants frustrated and angry.

In October, the two streets opened to two lanes in each direction except for northbound.

Late last month the streets opened to three lanes in each direction on Frank Lloyd Wright and two to three lanes in each direction on Scottsdale Road.

Some business owners are starting to cheer up.

Business at the Tilted Kilt has bounced back during the past two weeks, allowing Phelps to boost his staffing levels again.

"For us, the good thing is the barricades are gone and people can turn into the restaurant," he said.

Businesses on Scottsdale Road north of Frank Lloyd Wright, however, say all is not well yet.

Traffic cones still block right-hand lanes, and they still see drivers confused about where to turn and where to go straight. Customers who live in northern communities such as Grayhawk and DC Ranch say they are waiting for construction on the upper stretch of Scottsdale Road to finish.

"Until it's gone, I'm not going to be kicking my heels up," said Chris Fletcher, general manager of Charleston's restaurant on the northeast corner. But he's started adding staff and booking some office parties in anticipation of a holiday-season uptick in business.

The $9.8 million project runs along Scottsdale Road from Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard to Thompson Peak Parkway. It includes underground installation of a 12-kilovolt power line, new water lines and storm drains, additional turn lanes and landscaped medians, bike lanes and sidewalks.

Lighting for the pedestrian bridge over the Central Arizona Project Canal on the northeast corner still needs to be installed, city spokeswoman Annie DeChance said.

Some underground duct work, irrigation and landscaping also remain. The streets also will be treated with rubberized asphalt.

The last of the work is to be completed in early summer, DeChance said.

Staff at Maggiano's Little Italy, on the intersection's southeast corner, took to giving patrons directions around the construction zone. Assistant general manager Tony Roethler and other businesses hope it is a matter of weeks before Scottsdale Airpark employees and Valley residents go back to their old, familiar driving habits.

"If they get up this way during the holidays, I think it will help," Roethler said.

The construction project at one of Scottsdale's busiest intersections has meant headaches for drivers and area businesses since it started in August.