Major road work along a stretch of Dublin Boulevard in eastern Colorado Springs has negatively impacted some businesses in the area, their owners and employees have said, concerns city officials reported Wednesday they are taking steps to address.

Businesses on the north side of Dublin including Urbane Collective, Zapata Mexican Taco Shop and Springs Nails & Spa each estimated that since the road closed between Fieler and Issaquah drives in mid-June, foot traffic to their businesses has dropped significantly — between 30% and 40%.

“We’re struggling and this is totally unsustainable, especially during the bigger shopping months in the summer,” said Molly Fish, Urbane Collective owner. Fish opened the second location of her women’s boutique two years ago inside the Shoppes at Indigo Ranch retail center northwest of Dublin Boulevard’s intersection with Marksheffel Road.

In late spring, the city closed Dublin for about a mile from Fieler Drive east toward Marksheffel to complete a $15 million project that will widen Dublin to two lanes in each direction, among other improvements. The road is expected to remain closed to traffic until late September.

Colorado Springs voters approved the project in November 2022 as part of the third iteration of the 1-cent Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority sales tax that finances regional road projects.

Dublin’s closure beginning so far west of the shopping center and confusing detour routes around the construction site are keeping customers away, business representatives said.

“People traveling east think we’re closed because they can’t really see (the shopping center) from that far back, so they’re not stopping in,” said Adrian Colin, manager at Zapata Mexican Taco Shop.

The restaurant is still receiving plenty of to-go orders, but alcohol sales have recently taken a dive, Colin said. Since people are not walking in to eat as often, they’re not ordering the alcoholic beverages they might have otherwise while dining in.

Urbane Collective customers have told Fish it can take as much as 25 extra minutes for them to reach her shop because of the road closures.

Some customers at Springs Nail & Spa have missed their appointments altogether because they have trouble navigating detour routes along Dublin, said receptionist Brian Nguyen.

Not all businesses in the Shoppes at Indigo Ranch, or in the adjacent Dublin Heights retail center at the southwest corner of Dublin and Marksheffel, have said they experienced the same issues.

Foot traffic hasn’t significantly decreased at the Sasquatch Cookies shop inside the Shoppes, nor at the Taste of Philly restaurant or JAKs Taproom inside Dublin Heights across the way, managers and employees said.

Fish and Colin want the city to increase its detour signage, improve detour routes and install signage alerting the community that local businesses on Dublin Boulevard remain open.

Fish emailed several city departments with her request, including Public Works and the mayor’s office, but never heard back, she said.

“It’s disheartening there’s not more concern around these closures,” Fish said.

City engineer and Deputy Public Works Director Gayle Sturdivant said Wednesday the city never received the email communications from Fish and is investigating why. A city representative has reached out to Fish in the meantime, she added.

“Normally we’re responding in less than 24 hours once we hear something from anyone. … If there is something we think could be helpful, and particularly if we get input from the businesses that would be helpful, we’re more than happy to work with them,” Sturdivant said.

A dedicated project webpage, newsletters, email addresses and text alert notifications are the best way for residents to share their feedback with the city, she added. Colorado Springs’ Small Business Development Administrator Shakanah Tedder is also available to help businesses navigate challenges like those posed by road construction.

Responding to the businesses’ concerns, Public Works officials have added more signage along a detour route that navigates eastbound Dublin traffic to the south at Tutt Boulevard, then eventually east to Issaquah Drive via Stetson Hills Boulevard and Peterson Road, where vehicles can access the Shoppes at Indigo Ranch.

On Tuesday, the city erected signs in the area to alert drivers that businesses are still open and accessible during the roadwork.

“We understand that when we do these road improvements there can be some inconvenience — some added distance travel or some change in travel patterns. But we really appreciate everyone’s understanding and accommodations to be able to do that,” Sturdivant said.

While it may be temporarily cumbersome for drivers and area businesses, the full closure of this section of Dublin Boulevard shortened the overall project schedule by up to six months, she added.

“With road projects, most often we’re adding capacity or making it safer for travelers to get to their destination, in particular, the business community. … We appreciate everyone’s patience with this. We understand it is an inconvenience but we’re trying to get it done as soon as possible,” Sturdivant said.

To stay informed about construction updates, traffic impacts and more, visit the project webpage at coloradosprings.gov/dublin, email dublin.improve@gmail.com, call 719-472-3065 or text “DUBLIN” to 866-762-3640 for text alerts.