Road Construction On Henderson Has An Uncertain Deadline

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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Major construction projects that started early in 2015 now have an uncertain completion deadline. Bridges planned to connect downtown with Henderson Street and White Settlement Road have stalled due to major redesign.

The delays have left some businesses stranded behind construction barriers and huge mounds of construction material. "I'd say on average, a solid 20 to 25 percent decline," said Angelo's owner Jason George about business since construction began. "This week, it's almost 50 percent."

It's a recipe for choppy business at Angelo's Barbecue, it's all but cut them off from customers.

"It's blocked off from the downtown side, the Henderson side," he said. "So, no one can get here from Henderson."

There is just no easy way to get from downtown over to Angelo's on this side of the road.

"We used to patronize this place at least once a month," Renteria said as he thought about how long it had been since the last time he'd been there. "A year?"

"It really puts a burden on me because I have to come down 121 and Bellknap, but then I have to go all the way around," said customer Phil Renteria.

TXDOT is uncertain as to when the bridge construction will be completed.  Engineers are having to completely redesign the steel structures inside the bridge to use less steel.

The state says right now there is no project completion date set to start building the bridges.  And no sign of relief for Angelo's owners.

"It doesn't make you feel good," George said. "We just kind of buckle down and make adjustments we can make need to hang in there until it's done."

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