Editorial : Speedy end to Marshall Street construction will help businesses from losing more money

The Jan. 21 water main break under J. Michael Shoes led the city to erect wooden barricades, creating quite an eyesore and taking a financial toll on Marshall Street businesses.

The Syracuse Department of Public Works estimates the barricades could be up for another month before workers finish reconstructing J. Michael’s foundation, which was destroyed completely as a result of the pipe burst. With some businesses reporting as much as a 40 to 50 percent decline in business since the barricades began preventing parking, the city and construction company must rebuild the foundation with an intense sense of urgency.

The destruction under J. Michael requires the barricades, though they constitute a remarkable inconvenience for anyone getting to Marshall by car, because heavy car traffic could cause the street to collapse where the break obliterated any structural foundation. A permanent fix will benefit area businesses in the long run because any partial or temporary structure could lead to future complications and worse hits to Marshall Street businesses.

One way the city could lessen the inconvenience for Marshall Street businesses would be to designate several parking spots in the parking lot adjacent to the street for delivery drivers. One of the primary complaints from eateries has been the lack of space for delivery drivers to pick up orders.

If the lack of parking deters students from driving down to Marshall, making the delivery option more accessible may help offset the loss of customer traffic. And providing at least a few spaces to help businesses out would end some of the illegal parking or obstruction of traffic in that area.

Some Marshall stores behind the blockade have reported that some patrons call to ask if they, too, are closed. This comes as no surprise because giant garbage bins sit outside J. Michael and snow piles up on the sidewalks and street. Drawing more attention to the stores with bright signs telling passers-by that they are indeed open may be a necessary step business owners need to take until construction finishes.

Also, if the city does not have the resources to clear the piles of snow within the barricades, it may be necessary for business owners to take it upon themselves to clear the snow from the street. The snow makes the street look desolate and abandoned, and it is another inconvenience for people headed to Marshall by foot, which at this point is almost the only option.