Ongoing roadwork on busy Pittsburgh road leaves business owners frustrated

PITTSBURGH — For weeks, the construction along Penn Avenue has been messy, congested and difficult to navigate. With no end in sight, local business owners are growing increasingly frustrated.

Abu Timbo, owner of 24 Carrot Juice, shared with Channel 11 News on Monday that the ongoing construction has deterred customers. “Foot traffic was a significant part of our growth, but now it’s kind of stagnant,” he said.

Timbo explained, “[Customers] don’t want to waste time searching for parking or driving around the block; it’s just been a mess.” The sidewalk in front of 24 Carrot Juice is no longer level pavement; instead, it is obstructed by boards and barricades.

Driving along Penn Avenue isn’t any better. Channel 11 news crews reported major delays and frustrations while navigating through Lawrenceville and Bloomfield due to construction workers digging up parts of the road.

According to the city, the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) is set to begin phase 2 of its streetscape rebuild between Evaline and Graham Streets. While People’s Gas is finishing pipeline replacements between 39th and 45th Streets, the Water and Sewer Authority has plans for work on the 4900 and 5100 blocks. This construction is expected to continue throughout the summer.

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Timbo noted, “A lot of people come in just for the smoothies and acai bowls during the warmer months, but if the work isn’t completed while it’s warm, [customers] won’t even come in. We may lose a lot of business and foot traffic because of that.” He and his wife opened their business just 15 months ago, and sales have slowed for over two months due to the construction.

“The business next door has also been impacted for two months, disrupting the flow of traffic, and everything is just a mess,” Timbo said.

24 Carrot Juice isn’t alone; several other businesses that spoke with Channel 11 News are preparing for a long summer of construction and expressed a desire for better coordination among the water, gas, and city projects.

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