East Fremont Street Construction Hurts Foot Traffic at Local Cafe

The ongoing construction along East Fremont Street remains a burden on the adjacent small businesses, like the Baguette Cafe, which has seen a significant decline in walk-in traffic.

The construction is part of an initiative for minor improvements on East Fremont, but for owners of businesses who are physically seeing barriers, dust and signage that indicates change, some may never return. "The business is slow right now just because people see construction, and you know when they see construction, they usually don't go there," said Baguette Cafe employee Janndale Abad. "With this construction, it's hitting our business pretty hard."

According to Abad, the situation has been particularly difficult for restaurants that have endured years of recurring construction in the downtown corridor. Though signs like "Sidewalk Closed" and "Keep Right" indicate businesses remain open, the perception of inaccessibility continues to weigh on sales.

"The past two weeks they've been working on it pretty hard," Abad said. "I've been seeing a lot of construction, and it looks like it's getting done, so hopefully it gets done soon so we can get back to business." Local business owners have expressed hope that the recent progress signals an end to the disruptions, but are still waiting for clear communication from city officials on when the work will be completed.

Abad also noted another issue the construction brings: airborne dust. "That's one of the biggest things because when people come in, they bring dust in and I'm super allergic too, so it sucks," he said. Despite the challenges, he expressed gratitude for loyal customers who continue to visit during the disruptions. "If you drive by around here, don't let it stop you from coming to the shop," Abad urged.

As businesses along East Fremont continue to weather the impact, community support remains critical until construction finally wraps up.