Businesses Relieved As West Springfield Road Work Wraps Up WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass (WGGB)– Following two years of bulldozers and detours, roads to local businesses in West Springfield are reopened. When the Route 20 construction zone went up in the area of Gaskill and Charles Avenues, business went down 20% at at Kuhnel Auto Repair and The Loft Salon Studio. The massive project raised the railroad bridge so double-stacked trains could pass underneath it. Meantime, it caused a temporary realignment of Route 20. “It’s very frustrating to watch the process of the slow action, one guy doing one thing, one guy doing another,” Kuhnel Auto Repair Jay Walts said. Jay and his wife Ann Marie Walts saw water and mud-run off overwhelm their property over the past few years. Their entrance road, Gaskill Avenue, was completely closed for two years until this weekend. “We survived, we are going to be here,” Walts said. “We’ve been here since 1988, and we will are going to be here in the future.” For 19 months, there was massive steel wall that was providing support during construction on the bridge. It made it impossible to see both the salon and the repair shop. “It’s been the growth part that is affected by the construction,” Walts explained. “New people aren’t going to drive by and say ‘hey let’s turn in there. Let’s go in next street and drive around the block to get there.’ That’s not going to happen.” So loyal customers kept the family businesses afloat. With new signs, a new paint job, and brand new entrance, Walts says the work looks good. He is excited to get back to normal. “I don’t really advertise or do anything like that other than kids sports and stuff, so loyalty, great customers,” he said. “They are the best customers in the world I always say.” MassDOT says the entire project will wrap up, with all four Route 20 lanes reopening, in 6-8 weeks. DOT adds that the project was staggered so neither the railroad tracks nor Route 20 ever had to completely close. The state is working with West Springfield to change Locus Street to a one way off of route 20.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 23:51:30 +0000
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