OWASCO - Adrianna Thrasher-Scutt gave directions around the construction on White Bridge so many times in the past 10 months that she can recite them in her sleep.
Brad Ritter, of Andover Certified Traffic, dismantles a sign that had been used in the White Bridge replacement project on Route 437 in Fleming. The bridge re-opened Tuesday evening after being closed since early winter. Louise Hoffman Broach / The Citizen
Thrasher-Scutt, a clerk at the Express Mart on the traffic circle in Fleming, won't be needing to give those directions anymore. White Bridge, which was replaced as part of the Route 437's reconstruction, re-opened Tuesday afternoon.
"We're seeing a lot of customers we haven't seen in a long time," Thrasher-Scutt said. She noted that sales were off during the construction that nearly left the store on a dead end.
"I think we'll see even more once word gets out the bridge is open again."
The store staff is small, but some hours were curtailed because of the construction. Once the traffic is back, it's likely those hours will be restored, she said.
Drivers who normally traveled Route 437 between Owasco and Fleming along Emerson Park had to endure a 4.5-mile detour that brought them to Lake Avenue, the nearest crossing over the Owasco Outlet. If they didn't go that way, they were forced to drive the long way around Owasco Lake through Moravia.
Nancy Powers lives in Fleming off Route 34B and works in Owasco. Powers, who was buying a cup of coffee from the Express Mart Wednesday, said the detour was a tremendous inconvenience because it took her miles out of her way every day.
Gary Duckett, head of parks and trails for Cayuga County, was also relieved to see the bridge re-open. Some people were using Emerson Park's road for a vehicular detour, which put stress on the brick pavers. While there was no damage, there was wear and tear. The road was only supposed to be open to emergency providers, he said.
The detour did not have at park events during the spring and summer, Duckett said. Revenue was actually up slightly, but he said it was largely because rents had risen for the park's pavilion.
Thrasher-Scutt said most of the people who asked how to get to Emerson Park were looking to attend the plays at Merry-Go-Round Theater, and had come from the west side of the lake. Many people seemed annoyed they would have to drive part way into Auburn to get around the construction when they could see the theater across the park, she said.
" I felt bad for them; it was frustrating," she said.
Owasco residents who were used to dashing into the Express Mart for things like milk and bread, probably bought them elsewhere while the bridge was closed, Thrasher-Scutt said.
"By the time they drove around, they might as well get what they wanted in town," she said. "Who wants to go all that way and back just to stop at a convenience store?"
Ronnie DiCarlo, the chef and manager at Green Shutters at the corner of Routes 347 and 38A, said the bridge closure cost the eatery about 30 percent of its summer business.
"It hurt us big-time, it killed us all summer long," said DiCarlo, who noted that the bridge re-opened just five days before Green Shutters will close for the season. "It was really tough for people to drive nine miles out of their way."
To entice business, DiCarlo said he kept all of his dinners under $10, but it didn't help much.
Green Shutters did see an increased lunch crowd when construction workers ate there. Richard Akins of Slate Hill Builders, the Warners company that replaced the bridge, was in Wednesday with a co-worker, eating a burger.
"We usually came in every Friday, or whenever I would forget my lunch," said Akins, who lives in Owasco on Route 38A.
He said when the crews began removing the road barriers Tuesday night, motorists were beeping, cheering and waving.
"They flipped us off during the project," he said. "But now they're our best friend."
Duckett said he was so excited the project was finished that he came back to the area after 6 p.m., just to drive over the bridge because it hadn't opened yet when he went home an hour earlier.
"We went over the bridge and around the (traffic) circle," he said.
Staff writer Louise Hoffman Broach can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or louise.hoffman@lee.net
"We're seeing a lot of customers we haven't seen in a long time," Thrasher-Scutt said. She noted that sales were off during the construction that nearly left the store on a dead end.
"I think we'll see even more once word gets out the bridge is open again."
The store staff is small, but some hours were curtailed because of the construction. Once the traffic is back, it's likely those hours will be restored, she said.
Drivers who normally traveled Route 437 between Owasco and Fleming along Emerson Park had to endure a 4.5-mile detour that brought them to Lake Avenue, the nearest crossing over the Owasco Outlet. If they didn't go that way, they were forced to drive the long way around Owasco Lake through Moravia.
Nancy Powers lives in Fleming off Route 34B and works in Owasco. Powers, who was buying a cup of coffee from the Express Mart Wednesday, said the detour was a tremendous inconvenience because it took her miles out of her way every day.
Gary Duckett, head of parks and trails for Cayuga County, was also relieved to see the bridge re-open. Some people were using Emerson Park's road for a vehicular detour, which put stress on the brick pavers. While there was no damage, there was wear and tear. The road was only supposed to be open to emergency providers, he said.
The detour did not have at park events during the spring and summer, Duckett said. Revenue was actually up slightly, but he said it was largely because rents had risen for the park's pavilion.
Thrasher-Scutt said most of the people who asked how to get to Emerson Park were looking to attend the plays at Merry-Go-Round Theater, and had come from the west side of the lake. Many people seemed annoyed they would have to drive part way into Auburn to get around the construction when they could see the theater across the park, she said.
" I felt bad for them; it was frustrating," she said.
Owasco residents who were used to dashing into the Express Mart for things like milk and bread, probably bought them elsewhere while the bridge was closed, Thrasher-Scutt said.
"By the time they drove around, they might as well get what they wanted in town," she said. "Who wants to go all that way and back just to stop at a convenience store?"
Ronnie DiCarlo, the chef and manager at Green Shutters at the corner of Routes 347 and 38A, said the bridge closure cost the eatery about 30 percent of its summer business.
"It hurt us big-time, it killed us all summer long," said DiCarlo, who noted that the bridge re-opened just five days before Green Shutters will close for the season. "It was really tough for people to drive nine miles out of their way."
To entice business, DiCarlo said he kept all of his dinners under $10, but it didn't help much.
Green Shutters did see an increased lunch crowd when construction workers ate there. Richard Akins of Slate Hill Builders, the Warners company that replaced the bridge, was in Wednesday with a co-worker, eating a burger.
"We usually came in every Friday, or whenever I would forget my lunch," said Akins, who lives in Owasco on Route 38A.
He said when the crews began removing the road barriers Tuesday night, motorists were beeping, cheering and waving.
"They flipped us off during the project," he said. "But now they're our best friend."
Duckett said he was so excited the project was finished that he came back to the area after 6 p.m., just to drive over the bridge because it hadn't opened yet when he went home an hour earlier.
"We went over the bridge and around the (traffic) circle," he said.
Staff writer Louise Hoffman Broach can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or louise.hoffman@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are No comments posted.