Plenty of cars entered Digger’s gravel parking lot Thursday afternoon, but inside was a different story. Only a handful of people sat in the quiet restaurant to enjoy a late lunch.

AND That’s what WORRIES owner Sue Helmling (voiced her concerns over.)

SO WHAT IS IT THAT WORRIES HER? THE FACT THAT THESE CARS USE HER LOT FOR A SHORT CUT THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION… THAT’S WHAT NEEDS TO BE RIGHT HERE.

THOSE CARS ARE SHORTCUTTING THROUGH HER LOT TO BEAT THE CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC – AND NOT FOR A MEAL AT HER TAVERN.

“I would say it affects my lunch business the worst,” said Helmling. “Everybody’s in a hurry.”

The fact that it’s a restaurant isn’t helping the situation.

“(People are) not going to sit in traffic and fight to come here when there’s tons of restaurants all over,” she said.

She blames the Fairchild bridge construction for the lack of foot traffic in her bar and diner. Closed streets, blocked driveways and bumper-to-bumper cars nearly swallow the businesses surrounding the bridge. This makes it difficult to maneuver the area and fight traffic to reach these destinations.

It also makes her parking lot a frequent cut-through. Even though there is a police order no shortcutting sign, Helmling estimates about 300 cars a day going through her lot.

“We’re getting big dips in my parking lot now because of the extra traffic,” she said.

To combat the construction’s effect, she is advertising more and having different lunch specials.

HAVE TO INTRODUCE THE SPEAKER FIRST – SO COUNTY ENGINEER JIM BOWLING SAID HE’S SENSITIVE THE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.

“We’ve met with the owners of the businesses whenever we can to talk with them about what would be best to help their individual situations,” said City engineer, Jim Bowling.

He explained the overall timing of Kent construction aimed to have small areas, like S.R. 43, worked on at a time. This allows for detours and more concentrated traffic problems.

Two doors down, A Cut Above has been somewhat resilient against construction. Though it has probably scared off new customers, owner Karen Shaw thinks the economy is also at fault. Customers will choose to go a little longer between haircuts and colors. She is thankful people tend to be loyal to his or her hairdresser. TEND TO BE LOYAL (PERIOD.)

“Getting a bad haircut is going to last you six weeks,” Shaw said and contrasted it to being able to switch eateries for convenience reasons.

With the orange cones clogging S.R. 43, she said, “Maybe people will actually slow down and see my sign.”

Dan Smith, city economic development director, ensures businesses that workers are trying to finish efficiently to open up S.R. 43 for heavier traffic once again.

“I think when it’s all done in a year from now and normal traffic patterns continue it’s going to be a very nice section of town,” Smith said.