ARRINGTON, Tenn. (WTVF) — Driving from Franklin to Murfreesboro on state-owned Highway 96 can be a little stop-and-go these days because a road widening project is underway.
The major work requires some parking lots at small businesses to get torn up too, including at Three French Hens.
The owner of the antique shop says the work has brought business nearly to a halt.
"It's out of our hands and that's very frustrating as a business owner to be going down and to no fault of your own," said Stacy Harris-Fish.
Making sales during the fourth quarter of the year is critical for the businesses.
"As a small retail business, it's our Super Bowl. It's when we sell the most usually when people can get to us," Harris-Fish said.
The end goal is to turn 18 miles of two-lane road into five lanes.
Construction from just east of Arno Road to Wilson Pike is phase one of four. This first phase won't be completed until next summer.
"It's not just my baby. My store contains 40 other vendors, so this is affecting 40 families just in my store, not counting the ones in the neighboring store Mercantile 1858. I think he has about 60 vendors in his store," Harris-Fish said.
Vulcan, the company that the Tennessee Department of Transportation contracted, apparently has an agreement with the property owner to put out signs with customer parking instructions on them.
When NewsChannel 5 was on the property, our crew didn't see any.
TDOT provided the following statement.
“The property owner has an agreement with Vulcan Materials Company (the contractor) for office space and an outside laydown yard for equipment, and we hope that both parties can do their part to work out the necessary accommodations for the tenants and customers.
In the meantime, we understand the frustration that comes with a project of this size and will do everything we can to ensure that the contractor maintains safe access to the businesses and signage directing customers onto the property.”
