Business owners are frustrated with the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) as the agency continues with the next phase of an improvement project at the intersection of Route 37 and Route 166 in Toms River.
The project began in March 2016 and was suspended for several months in 2017 during the Transportation Trust Fund shutdown. Officials have said the work is expected to be completed this winter.
Jack Su, who owns Hana Sushi & Steak House on Route 166, said business is down 60 percent as a result of the construction.
“I am really having a tough time. They are taking too long. (The project) is only a quarter-mile and it has taken basically three years. They say that maybe in two more months it will be done. I don’t know how long I can stay and survive,” Su said.
He said customers are having a difficult time getting into his restaurant.
According to the DOT, the $11.7 million state-funded project will upgrade the intersection of Route 166 and Route 37 by installing a raised median barrier between opposing traffic, improve the road geometry, make traffic signal improvements between Highland Parkway and Old Freehold Road, and widening the road by constructing a new through lane on Route 166 northbound and southbound.
In addition, the project will make drainage improvements, construct a retaining wall along the west side of Route 166 adjacent to the Dover Mall redevelopment and install additional sign structures, according to the DOT.
Nick Pagano, who is the general manager of the The Office Restaurant and Lounge on Main Street (Route 166), revealed that there were some days during construction when all of the business’s entrances were blocked.
“Customers would just not come here with the difficulties. It affected our lunch business a lot. We try to be quick with service at lunch and the project just made things difficult,” Pagano said, adding that the work near his business has been completed.
“These businesses depend on the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas for a large percentage of their annual sales and they employ a lot of people. ShopRite says they have lost 20 percent of their sales as a result of this construction project and I’m confident the impact is worse for non-essential shopping,” Toms River Councilman Daniel Rodrick said.
Ocean County Freeholder Joseph Vicari expressed similar sentiments about the project in a Nov. 15 letter to Gov. Phil Murphy.
Vicari wrote, “Last month I wrote to you expressing my concern and the concern of local business owners, about the never-ending work at routes 37 and 166. The holiday season is about to begin and despite repeated DOT assurances that the work would be done this fall, the DOT now says the construction will not be finished until later this winter.
“As I expressed last month, our businesses along this important commercial corridor suffered through an entire summer season of blocked entrances, detours and other construction headaches. Now these same mom and pop establishments are facing the further loss of customers during the vital holiday season. This is completely unacceptable.
“… I cannot overstate the importance of the holiday season to our local businesses. The Board of Freeholders recognizes the significance of these few short weeks by holding an annual “Buy in Ocean County” initiative to assist our small business owners.
“Numerous store owners who continue to be greatly impacted by the road work said they depend on the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas for a large percentage of their annual sales. On behalf of these business owners, I ask that you take whatever action is necessary to ensure this work is completed before the holiday season,” Vicari wrote.