Reygel Robles sells insurance, but lately he's had to shuffle more than just his customer's paperwork.
"Some clients are pissed off because there's really no buses here, so there's been times I have to drive them all the way to Portage Avenue just to catch the bus," said Robles.
That's because Ellice Avenue is shut down for a stretch in the eastbound lanes in front of his business, Jem Insurance. He says it’s creating parking issues and bus detours. Westbound traffic is down to one lane.
"I have no choice but to walk all the way to the other side which is Portage to take my bus to take me to school which is the U of M so it's very inconvenient,” said bus rider Princess Elegado.
The closure is part of a $4.7 million upgrade to Ellice between Arlington and Erin Streets. All four lanes were supposed to be complete this year. Now, some of the work on the westbound lanes will be pushed to the spring.
Robles says the construction is driving away business, up to 20 percent.
"We have to go through it for two years, really?” said Robles.
The city is attributing the delay to a scheduling issue. It says with winter fast approaching, construction will stop in early November and continue in the spring for a month.
"In this situation the risk is too large to proceed with stage two of reconstruction which is the westbound lanes,” said City of Winnipeg Streets Project Manager Matthew Hildebrand.
Hildebrand says all four lanes will be open during winter.
