Construction interrupts Milwaukee businesses

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Dan Sebring has owned Sebring Garage on 60th street in Milwaukee for 25 years. He knew the upcoming road construction would be a problem.

“I knew that I was going to have to make some kind of adjustments," Sebring. "That business was going to drop off. I had to be proactive about it.”

So he made signs to let people know he was still open, but he still saw a steep decline in customers.

"People driving up and down the highway here pretty much have tunnel vision, and they’re not looking for one side or the other. They’re dealing with the barrels and the construction crews, and they’re not really seeing what’s going on on the side of the road.”

He noticed signs in other Milwaukee construction areas that were actually made by the city.

“I contacted the city and said am i eligible for this program," Sebring said. "And three or four days later, they were out here with the signs.”

The Rep Theater near the wells street bridge says there’s an entire city program devoted to the issue.

“The city got in touch with us probably about a year-and a half ago just to tell us that this was going to be happening," Rep Media Relations Manager Frances White said. "Because it does affect our business, and a ton of businesses in our area.”

The city signs show where people can go to reach the business, and they stay in touch with groups of businesses.

“We’ve been having meetings about once a week just to get updates on how we are, and where things are going,” White said.

Sebring says the construction is necessary, but even with the signs, it could cost him the business.

“It is still a question whether or not after 25 years, my business is going to go under or not.”

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