Local business owner claims Sun Metro Brio construction impacting business
Construction on Sun Metro’s new Brio stations has some businesses struggling to get customers through the door, according to business owners.
There are 22 stations being built up and down Mesa with the work expected to be completed this July.
Many of the Brio construction zones are in front of businesses and sometimes cut off access.
Construction in front of Coney Island restaurant on Mesa and Executive has owner Rene Job seeing about a 30 percent a decrease in revenue from this time last year.
“We had a few slow days because of the construction. They blocked off one of the entrances,” Job said. He added that loyal customers are calling in to find out how they can still get their hot dog fix.
“I warn them in advance that construction is going on and I give them directions on how to get in so they don’t have any problems,” Job explained.
Workers at the Brio site outside Coney Island explained their timeline to Job.
Other businesses claim to have been affected by the Brio construction.
The Real Burrito at Mesa St. and Sun Bowl Dr. closed its doors for good recently, blaming the ongoing construction mess.
Sun Metro is offering to help businesses by helping to get the word out that they are still open if a little bit more difficult to get to.
“We can announce them on our Facebook page, on our Twitter page and on our website in order to help reduce the impact that construction is having,” Sun Metro spokeswoman Laura Cruz-Acosta said.
Job is actually quite pleased with how the project is being run.
“They put up signs guiding traffic to come in through the second entrance so that’s helped a little bit,” he said.
He’s hoping the new Brio stop right outside his business door will increase the number of customers he sees.
The Mesa Brio Rapid Transit System corridor has a total price tag of about $27 million.
Construction on Alameda, the second corridor of four in the Brio project, will begin this fall. For more information, please visit http:// bit.ly/1bl3W1T
