CINCINNATI — Cincinnati small business owner Chris Rose told WCPO in early August that what he wants from the city is something simple: communication.
Rose Home Court Tavern is located on Riverside Drive, a road that has been under construction for nearly two months, during which most traffic was diverted to allow crews to replace an aging water main.
Rose said sales have fallen by nearly 70% week-on-week as customers have stopped coming, but his store isn’t the only one to be hit.
The barricades and road closure signs initially installed by the city did not clearly indicate that Riverside Drive was closed to traffic, but that the stores and restaurants along the road remained open.
The problem was remedied earlier this month when the city replaced the sign with a new one listing the businesses in the area.
“It’s had a positive impact on business, not just my company, but all the companies in the area,” Rose said. “Business has picked up a little bit, and we’re very grateful.”
To make this happen, Rose reached out to City Councilman Seth Walsh, who, after seeing the confusion, decided the city could do more than update the signs. Walsh said he wanted to be proactive, not reactive.
“It’s unfortunate that it takes so much frustration to really find a solution,” Walsh said. “What we’ve seen here is that the minute the signs are put up and say road closed, people start to think everything’s closed. So from that moment on, we should be telling people what to expect and what’s still open and saying, ‘Please, please continue to come and visit these businesses and use them.'”
Mayor Walsh made a motion Wednesday asking the city to compile a report on road closure signs and communications with private businesses and update current policies.
“The renovation work along and adjacent to Columbia Parkway has caused unintended and unanticipated harm to surrounding businesses,” the motion reads in part.
To Rose, this is a welcome development and a common sense solution: He said it’s a step toward the communication he hopes to see, and one that’s already paying off.
On Aug. 19, the Greater Cincinnati Water Authority sent the Riverside Drive business a four-paragraph email detailing the project’s progress. Rose said it was the first time he’d heard from the authority in more than a month.
“I think that going forward, if we have projects like this coming into our neighborhoods and having a direct impact, depending on the solutions and the outcomes, it could have a huge benefit to people to maintain employment and continue to be part of the community,” Rose said.
Walsh also asked the city to consider loan and grant opportunities for small businesses affected by large-scale construction projects that involve road closures. City Council is scheduled to consider the motion in September when lawmakers return from recess.
“This is a learning opportunity,” Walsh said. “Learn to grow and improve as a city. That’s the goal.”
