Rochester businesses say sales have plummeted during monthslong road closure
Nearly five months into a major road construction project in Beaver County, several small business owners say they are struggling to keep customers coming through the door.
The businesses are located near the $7 million Route 68/Adams Street reconstruction project in Rochester. While owners say they support improvements to the area, they say the extended closure has created financial challenges.
The project started in April, and owners tell KDKA Investigates the impact was immediate. The Philly Pretzel Factory closed shortly after, calling the work "the dagger that killed us."
At Nesmith Diner and Catering, owners Eric and Anita Nesmith say they saw a sharp decline in sales.
"When your colleague came out the first or second week into it, we were already down 60% in loss of sales," said Anita Nesmith.
Months later, the couple says they are still trying to dig themselves out of the hole.
"You make up specials, and you really want to sell them, and you're not getting the food out like you were when you first opened, and it's been rough," said Eric Nesmith.
The Nesmiths say revenue is down at least 50% and that some days they have had to close early because the sales will not cover the payroll expenses.
Nearby at The Hilltop Restaurant, employee Tiana Ault says the construction has dramatically changed the flow of customers.
"When we first opened, we were slammed," Ault said. "We had people coming in all the time. It was table after table after table."
"Our sales are down, I want to say 70 to 80%," she added.
Longtime Rochester resident Chuck Mignanelli contacted KDKA Investigates after writing to Gov. Josh Shapiro about his concerns.
"It's a small town, why not around-the-clock work?" Mignanelli asked. "Why not having somebody do it constantly so it could be done by now? Why not shut one lane down?"
PennDOT said a local utility company decided to completely replace its main and service lines while the roadway reconstruction and drainage improvements were underway.
In a statement, PennDOT said:
"If we had not incorporated this utility work, the schedule showed this project pushing out to 2027, which was not in anyone's best interest. Thankfully, both utility companies have continued to work either ahead or concurrently in the same work zone with our contractor and have completed their work within the past month. Our contractor continues to perform road repair work and expects to start paving operations in early August."
PennDOT says it is hoping to reopen the road by Labor Day, earlier than the previous estimate of mid-November.
Business owners say they hope customers will continue visiting Rochester while construction continues.
"We're only a year old and so to think how drastically it's kind of decreased in the amount of customers we've had, it's kind of a 'whoa, what's going on?'" said Ault.
The Nesmiths say they believe small businesses should have received more support during the project.
"The thought process of closing everything down, I don't think it was thought through, and if that was a way to quickly get it done, then I think the small businesses here should have been compensated in some regard," said Nesmith.
