Construction work taking place at the intersection of Harvester Road and Highway 94 is increasing traffic and lowering local business sales.

“I understand that they’re doing it for a good reason and helping the flow,” Manager of Little Caesars Pizza, Neil Scognamiglio said, “but it’s affecting business.”

Construction started last year and will hopefully be done sometime in late 2009. Since the project’s start, traffic has greatly intensified and business around the Harvester Square area has declined. Store managers and owners are noticing slower sales.

“People don’t come in,” Manager of Kirlin’s Hallmark, Reece Shannon said. “When they used to stop to get a card, they will rethink, ‘is it really worth it?’ So, it has really affected us.”

For years, the intersection of Harvester and 94 has caused long waits at stoplights and many late, unhappy drivers. This project to construct an overpass will hopefully lead to a decrease in traffic and an easier, faster commute.

“It will eliminate the traffic signal on 94 and make the commute much quicker,” MoDot Area Engineer for St. Charles Jim Gremaud said. “It’s going to reduce travel time.”

On a daily basis, St. Charles residents are having a hard time getting to and from their home or work due to the increase in travel time. With slow moving traffic, construction workers working to get the job done, and the need for an improved road system most citizens are becoming anxious.

“There’s a little more stress on me, opening a new business,” Scognamiglio said. “It’s harder for me to get to work and for employees to get to work.”

With an overpass being built, Old Highway 94 will become an expressway. This will allow a steady flow of traffic on the highway.

“It will help me to get out of work easier,” Manager of Great Clips, Cindy Wunderlich said. “Instead of having to go the other way, or a back way.”

Summer is drawing near, along with warm weather. This will help workers to give it their all to get the job done.

“Hopefully the weather gets nice and it will get done quicker than they anticipated,” Shannon said. “That would be great.”