Businesses in Rochester see positives as construction reaches second stage

(ABC 6 News) – Many businesses in downtown Rochester rely on foot traffic to get customers in their doors. Though, this highly anticipated construction project has not affected them as much as they thought.

"The choices, the city and the contractors made to segment a lot of that construction relieved a lot of that burden, that I think business owners on each block are going to experience," said Will Forsman, co-owner of Cafe Steam.

Despite a slight slow down in business, Forsman is thankful for the cooperation with the city and the contractors.

"While we experienced a disruption in foot traffic for several days because people quite literally could not get to us via the sidewalks. I appreciate the willingness to find solutions for business owners and improve what could have been a far greater disruption overall," said Forsman.

Knowing this construction would affect business Forsman still saw a need to improve the sidewalks.

"Some of the aging cobblestone and the existing concrete was coming up to the point where it didn’t make it quite as accessible for wheelchairs or any other sort of alternative forms of foot traffic and made it quite dangerous for folks that were just normal pedestrian foot traffic," said Forsman.

Stage two of sidewalk construction began Wednesday.

The sidewalks on the east side of Broadway between First St. SE to Fourth St. SE will be under construction until June 29th.