Road closure signs and heavy machinery have taken over a popular street in Winnipeg’s Exchange District.
Albert Street from Notre Dame Avenue to McDermot Avenue is closed to vehicle traffic as crews work to replace an aging water main on Albert Street.
Construction began three weeks ago.
Sidewalks remain open but there are a number of obstacles pedestrians must navigate through to walk down the street.
Vicky Ramantanis, the owner of Vicky’s Diner, called the work “loud and annoying.”
“The noise, the mess, the commotion, not being able to walk down the street, not being able to park, people don’t even know if they can walk on the sidewalk,” Ramantanis said.
Ramantanis added her business relies on foot traffic and the summer months are her busy season.
She’s trying to stay positive but said she’s not even sure when the project will be completed.
“I’ve heard different things. 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks.”
She said only time will tell if her business will take a hit. “We’ll see I guess.”
Alycia’s just had their grand opening last week. A few doors down from Vicky’s Diner, they’re also in the heart of the construction zone.
“It’s noisy and it’s making it hard to get our food deliveries because the truck can’t come down the street,” Kevin Von Gunten said.
Von Gunten is a cook and said he only learned about the water main project a few days before construction began.
“At least the sidewalk is not being ripped up here, but a lot of people don’t want to walk down it with the equipment going,” Von Gunten said.
He added it’s hard to tell if the construction will affect business because the restaurant is so new to the area.
The city said construction is expected to last a total of eight weeks.