Businesses, drivers ready for S.R. 434 road project to be finished

Jose Cajigas can be forgiven for venting his frustration with the highway-widening project along State Road 434 in front of his beauty salon.

After all, construction workers temporarily shut off the water to his business several months ago while a few of his customers sat with shampoo and dye in their hair.

In a panic, Cajigas raced across the busy highway to a nearby convenience store to buy several gallon-jugs of water and hauled them back to his salon.

"Oh, it was horrible," Cajigas said.

He's not the only small-business owner along S.R. 434 losing patience with the construction project that began in August 2012 and continues today, despite assurances from state transportation officials a year ago that the work would have been completed by last August.

"I just want to see it done," said Albert Guillemette, owner of Unique Stone & Tile, as he looked at road crews and heavy-construction machines across the street. "Enough already I get people that avoid this area because of all the work and confusion."

But the end is near, officials with the state's Department of Transportation say. The only work that remains, they promise, is adding a final layer of asphalt, striping and landscaping along the medians.

When those final touches are completed by the end of February, the 1.8-mile stretch of highway will have six lanes between Interstate 4 and Rangeline Road, plus bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks.

That will make the roadway easier to drive and draw more customers to businesses along the thoroughfare, officials said.

DOT spokesman Steve Olson said the project was delayed after workers found aging water lines underground that needed to be replaced.

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Businesses, drivers ready for S.R. 434 road project to be finished