CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – The highly anticipated MacCorkle Avenue construction project has been underway for about a year and a half. Drivers and business owners are anxiously awaiting its completion. 

“It’s still difficult,” said Theresa Ortiz, President of Donut Connection in Kanawha City. “It’s a mess a lot of people are just avoiding MacCorkle in general.” 

While part of the project is ahead of schedule, another portion is going to take longer than anticipated, according to the Project Manager Ryan Canfield.

“It’s very difficult when you’re trying to market your business and grow your business and maintain a certain level of professionalism when all you have is someone blocking off your road,” said Ortiz.

The area from 58th to 40th Street will be done by late this year, ahead of schedule. However, the area from 40th to 33rd Street will be done by late Fall 2024. Due to some utility and right of way issues it was pushed back from Summer 2024.

Business owners told 13 News the construction is more of a headache than anything, but it’s also impacted sales as they say customers don’t want to drive through the roadwork.

“The profits have went down because of the construction on MacCorkle. It’s blocked off right in front of my location,” said Candice Krebs, owner of NuWay Cleaners.

Krebs and Ortiz both said they can’t wait for construction to be completed, a similar sentiment other business owners and drivers also shared. 

“Once it’s done we’re all going to be happy because we’re going to have a beautiful shiny new road and there won’t be any potholes and it will be easier to drive on,” Ortiz said. “But until then it’s difficult and it’s not helping business at all and I know I’m not the only one who is struggling with this.”