Some businesses in North Fort Myers say they're seeing less foot traffic in their stores and it's taking its toll on their profits.
The reason: the closure of the Caloosahatchee bridge on May 31.
Business owners say the project is taking a toll on their livelihoods.
Business owners on both the north and southbound lanes of U.S. 41 from the foot of the bridge to Pondella Road say the highway looks desolate at times, since it was shut down on May 31 so crews could repair the bridge and add a pedestrian path to the span, which connects with downtown Fort Myers.
Businesses say the shutdown has left them paying the price.
Scott Koenig, who works at the Antique Mall, called the work a bump in the road, literally.
“It's definitely slowed traffic down. Our weekends, we've noticed a decrease in people coming into the store,” Koenig said.
The store has 150 vendors, and nearly 30 spots are now empty.
“Actually, we're giving away a free month right now if you open up a booth. So, it's a great time to open one,” Koenig said.
Many vendors are offering sales in an effort to bring in more foot traffic and Koenig said they’re considering a car show in the parking lot to attract people.
The Antique Mall isn’t the only business being impacted.
The parking lot at the Big Lots was nearly empty Tuesday morning.
Floral sales at the Fort Myers Blossom Shop are also down.
Louis Vanhester works there and said walk-in customers account for nearly 35% of their business and he said that is missing since the bridge shutdown and he said it couldn’t have come at a worse time for businesses like his.
“This is our slow months to begin with in the flower business,” Vanhester said.
He said the phone and internet are keeping them going.
“We're fortunate that a lot of our orders are telephone orders, wire services coming in,” Vanhester said.
They're looking forward to the empty highways blossoming with traffic again.
Looking outside at an empty highway, he was that looked desolate.
“It was kind of scary. Not one car was going this way,” he said.
FDOT Crews are continuing their work on this project. It's expected to wrap up Aug. 11. That's when the bridge will reopen.
There will still be some lane restrictions as the entire project doesn't wrap up until later this year in December.