PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A major road project in Dunedin is stirring up mixed emotions from residents and local businesses. Construction on Skinner Boulevard is well underway, and the plans promise a safer street for drivers, walkers, and bikers. This does not come without disruption.
Several million dollars are being dumped into the Skinner Boulevard Complete Streets Project. It is designed to slow traffic, add roundabouts, create wider sidewalks, and overall better connect people to Dunedin.
WATCH: Major road project causing headaches for people in Dunedin
In the meantime, the construction is causing a headache for people who live and work in the area.
“I haven’t been able to turn down my street from Skinner since probably October," Tracey Sexton, who lives a block from Skinner, said.
She said for months she’s been dealing with construction dust and major reroutes just to get around town.
“You’re not talking about someplace that’s off the beaten path. This is a well-traveled area. People like to come down here. Saturday and Sunday are packed with people," Sexton said.
One of her favorite local restaurants is the Chicken Garden. What used to be a two-minute walk across the street to the restaurant now takes much longer.
“We kind of got to know the owners personally, and I know it has really impacted business," Sexton said.
Meanwhile, up the road, Clear Sky Draught Haus is not seeing as big of an impact. Cars can still pull in, but they say foot traffic has slowed.
“It’s affected some people. Especially when they close off something, they close it off at some points during the day," Izzy Arroyo with Clear Sky said.
This city said it is all part of the Complete Streets Project, which aims to improve safety, traffic flow, and pedestrian access.
Robert Ironsmith, the Economic Development Director for the City of Dunedin, said that this project will stimulate economic development once construction is complete.
“Yeah, it’s going to bring in business from the north because right now, as I said, it kind of segments the downtown. So it will bring in business from the north as well as from the east,” Ironsmith said.
He admitted there has been disruption for people in the area, but said it will pay off in the long run.
Construction crews hope to wrap up by the fall.
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