MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - Starting Monday, Jan. 5, a stretch of Hawley Road near Interstate 94 will close for several years.

The closure impacts all lanes and is part of a larger Interstate 94 reconstruction project.

Barbiere’s Italian Inn has been in Milwaukee since the 1960s, at the corner of Bluemound and Hawley, less than a mile from the stretch of Hawley closing.

“Hawley is one of the main roads to be able to get to our business at least going north and south,” Co-Owner Christina Perkins said.

Perkins says of course there are some concerns with less traffic coming by the restaurant, but until they see an impact, they are going to keep business rolling.

“Until we’re seeing that, we won’t make it a big issue,” Perkins said. “I think we’re just gonna try to do everything on our part to make everybody aware of how to get to our business.”

The initial I-94 project started in October, but the restaurant has been running like usual, with great holiday numbers through December.

“As many business owners know we don’t control what goes on in the city,” Perkins said. “We’re here for everybody and we’re navigating this just like everybody else, it won’t stop us.”

After years of business, there is faith in the customers as construction continues around the restaurant.

“We have to trust that our base is strong, which they are, and trust that our customers are gonna find a way to come and get to us,” Co-Owner Steve Thalman said.