A major $3 million traffic project is full speed ahead in Melbourne, repairing a key roadway that thousands of drivers use daily.
- NASA Boulevard in Melbourne is under repair
- The work will go into the fall
- Construction is affecting businesses in that stretch
But for those trying to navigate the streets and others trying to make a living, it's a standstill.
Jennifer Serrano's family-owned diner has been a mainstay here on NASA Boulevard since the 1980s. It serves up quick, tasty breakfast and mid-day meals for regulars. But lately, some of those customers have been noticeably absent.
Serrano estimates that she's lost 30 percent of her sales.
"We've seen a dramatic drop," she said.
Serrano says the NASA Boulevard roadway project is to blame.
Florida Department of Transportation is working to repair and repave the two-mile stretch from U.S. 1 to just past the Melbourne International Airport, a corridor nearly 20,000 drivers use daily.
The construction now shifts to repave the two lanes on her restaurant's side of the road -- the eastbound portion.
"We don't even know if that's going to affect us even more so," Serrano said.
Although all public access will be in place for area businesses on the road, customers like Ed Dowdell hope people practice patience in the area.
"You have to take a left-hand turn, it's causing a traffic backup and buildup," he said. "But you have to put up with it. They’ve got to pave the road."
Serrano says it's her lunchtime rush that's taken the biggest hit. Nearby Harris Corporation and Northrop Grumman employees who normally fill these booths don’t want to deal with the congestion, she says.
"They are on a strict timeframe, being at lunch on their break," she explained.
And with work expected to last into the fall, she just hopes they don't forget she is there.
The traffic shift happens Thursday night and goes into effect Friday morning.
To get updates on road construction, head to the FDOT website.