MAUMEE, Ohio — If you drive through uptown Maumee, you've probably experienced some traffic headaches over the past few weeks. But those could soon be clearing up.
Maumee city officials said, weather permitting, the east side of Conant Street near East Broadway Street will open back up to two lanes within the next two weeks.
In the meantime, another closure along Conant Street and Kingsbury Street is adding more traffic to the mix, as Norfolk/Southern does rail work. City officials said this is something the city of Maumee does not have control over and just so happens to be going on the same time the city is doing their revamp of the uptown area.
"Right now it's really tough! During the construction, people coming across the bridge, and I feel for them! And I'm really not happy about what they're going through. But here's the thing, we needed it! You know Uptown Maumee needed this rehab, this remodel," said Bill Anderson, owner of Dale's Bar & Grill.
Right now, uptown Maumee is undergoing a big revamp, which businesses hope will attract more people to the area with more parking and a new look.
The revamp could potentially be done by the end of this year but most likely more toward spring 2023. In the meantime, local business owners are hoping all the traffic headaches are worth it in the end.
"That's why I'm positive about this project! This is just part of it. I mean when you undergo a construction like this, you're going to have difficulty during construction. But I think they've got to do something about moving people during construction," said Anderson.