The Selwyn District Council is about three months into intensive roadworks on Gerald St as part of a $46 million upgrade to the town centre.
But businesses are feeling the pain, with customers either just stopping to get the essentials or avoiding the area altogether.
Lincoln Convenience Store owner Rick Sun said he has lost about 70% of his business and is keeping it afloat with his own money.
“It is really bad,” he said.
Sun was unsure if he would be able to stay open until July, when work outside his store is expected to be finished.
“We may not have enough money to keep the business running.”
Across the road, Cottage Cafe owner Surekha Puda is facing the same struggle and was also unsure if she could stay open until July.
“For the last few months, we have not been making enough money to pay the bills and the rent,” she said.
“People don’t want to drive into the centre for a breakfast or a coffee in a polluted, loud construction area.”
Sun said while people are using the new car parks, they are finding it difficult to navigate their way through road closures on the side streets.
“Once they get into the car park, they find it hard to get out.”
Lincoln Pharmacy staff member Gabriella Benger has noticed a big drop-off in customers since roadworks restarted earlier this month.
“We have been way quieter (last week) – hardly anyone is coming in and shopping around. People are only coming in to collect scripts,” she said.
Across the road, Selwyn Community Pharmacy owner Dave Wyatt as also seen a drop in business.
“It’s testing, that’s for sure. I admire people’s courage trying to navigate (the roadworks),” he said.
He credited contractor Fulton Hogan for adding signage to help direct people where to go.
Stage one of the redevelopment will cost about $10.4m and include a plaza area replacing angled car parks outside shops, cycle lanes, multiple pedestrian crossings, and traffic lights at the Gerald St and West Belt intersection.
After stage one, work is expected to start on a major hospitality and retail precinct called Lincoln Village, on the corner of Gerald and Robert streets.
Work is planned to start in the middle of this year, and will be completed in five stages over two to four years.
Developer Shaun Pont said the council’s redevelopment of the town centre was the catalyst for the project, which will be home to 14 businesses.
“If the council did not invest $46m in the town centre upgrade, we would not have bought this site,” Pont said.
Stage four will involve upgrades to Gerald St, from Kildare Tce to James St, including the addition of traffic lights to the Gerald, James, and Edward streets intersection.
On the current timeline, all work is expected to be complete by 2030.
Lincoln Family Barber staff member AJ Vain has noticed a drop-off in business.
But he said most of their regular clients are still making the effort to come in.
“We can weather the storm, but I am worried about some of the other businesses,” he said.
The Famous Grouse co-owner Shaughn McNabb said during the day it has been very quiet, but the evenings have been about where they expected.
Lincoln Fish Supply manager Lou Hardie said their days had also been affected, with business okay in the evening.
“In the daytime, it is the tradies that are our usual customers, and if there are no carparks, they just drive off.”
“From where I live, the whole side has been blocked off. It has become very confusing (to navigate),” she said.
Carrick said while what she could do was limited, work has already been done to improve signage around the roadworks to direct people where they need to go.
“We need to stress to people that the work is essential.”
She encouraged people to support businesses on Gerald St as much as possible.
