Reopening Chancery brings new hope for businesses
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While some businesses said they had not seen substantial differences in store traffic after the Chancery Street intersection was opened Tuesday, some said they have already noticed some improvements in the short time the intersection has been open. Three different businesses estimated a 25 percent reduction in business since the roads were closed in August.
The manager of the West Main Street branch of Union Planters Bank said yesterday so far, so good, but she also didn’t know how to quantify the change.
“I don’t think a lot of people know about it yet, but we are seeing traffic through here, so we’re hoping it does improve,” branch manager Sheila Vinson said. “We have been slow lately. We have been busier this week, but we’re not sure if it’s because of that or because it’s the first of the month.”
Magness Library has been accessible from Chancery Street via its back parking lot, but many people were reluctant to enter into a construction zone. Library manager Mary Robbins is one of the managers who reported a 25 percent drop in business but who noticed things picking up speed.
“I believe I can tell a difference,” she said yesterday. “It seems our parking lot has had more people in it yesterday and today. I think having through traffic helps. I was really excited to be able to drive all the way through. It was such a good feeling and there was such a feeling of accomplishment.”
EG&G superintendent Ed Vander Horst, who is overseeing the project, considered the reopening a significant improvement.
“It’s beautiful. The only thing we lack is the timing on the lights and Public Works is working on that,” he said, referring to a desire to see traffic flowing better from Colville Street to Morford Street.
New business owner Karen Parisi of The Lathers Lair, which is at that intersection, said she is planning to offer special discounts through February to help grow her business. She said while her traffic has not increased yet, she expects things to improve significantly now that the intersection is open.
“I’m very happy Chancery is open because it’s going to give me a little more exposure. You can see my signs from the traffic lights now,” she said.
Main Street Bakery has gotten business from construction workers even while that section of West Main Street has been closed. There, owner Linda Holland said shop traffic has not increased since the reopening of Chancery, but like others, she had hopes it would improve.
Vander Horst said crews are planning to work on sidewalks for better foot traffic on West Main Street and hoped an outlet off West Main Street between Chancery Street and Court Square could be ready for vehicular traffic at the end of next month.