Summer construction is as inevitable as the heat that arrives with the season, with three large constructions currently underway in Fredericton.
The construction project is happening at Victoria Street in the downtown-area, which has impacted the business of local salon, Blonde Hair & Esthetics, sitting in the epicenter of the roadwork.
“It’s been kind of nuts for sure to say the least,” said Sarah Brown, a stylist at Blonde Hair & Esthetics Inc.
The eyesore of the construction doesn’t bother them, but the salon says clients aren’t pleased with the limited access to the building.
“We know this has to happen, we understand that, but we do want our clients to know this is the direction to go, this is how you can get out, these are the streets you can go on, these are the ones you can’t,” said Brown.
The city says this is only phase one of detours and in a few weeks the alternative routes will change.
“That will be in place until the end of the project, the project is going to wrap up around mid-October,” said Greg McCann the City of Fredericton Project Engineer.
The cost for the project will be around $2.5 million. Uptown at Smythe and Montgomery underground conduit tubes will replace overhead electrical and telecommunication lines. Water mains will also be replaced.
“There will be no interruption for services, water and sewer related there may be a brief period where they would be without water for a couple hours, we’ll work with the contractor to get notices out and let them know about that” says McCann.
A notice, which the stylists at the Blonde salon would have appreciated.
“We just wish there was more communication with the city,” said Brown.
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But despite the noise and roadblocks the ladies at Blonde are optimistic about the future in their new location.
“We’re trying to stay completely positive and keep the traffic flow and clients coming in and keep everyone happy,” said Jennifer Guidry, the Blonde Hair & Esthetics Inc. owner.
Once the construction is complete in the fall, surface infrastructure such as curbing, sidewalks, trails and pavement will be done, and roads will reopen.