Stressed small business owner braces for multi-day Freeway 99 closure

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTKXL) — Beginning 8 p.m. Friday, Caltrans will shut down Highway 99 concerning 47th Avenue and Highway 50 to make a great deal-required repairs.

“That’s how I get to get the job done every single working day pretty a lot,” said Jose “Rokky” Lopez, a tattoo artist at Rags2Richez Ink. “I have to acquire the streets all the way in this article just because there is way too a great deal targeted visitors on the freeway.”

Lopez’s organization just so comes about to be correct subsequent to the development operate Caltrans is accomplishing at the 21st Avenue undercrossing.

“We’re closing on 99 from 47th Avenue, all the way down to the U.S. 50 connector,” claimed Angela DaPrato with Caltrans. “Business 80 at 99 will also be shut and U.S. 50 at 99 will be shut as properly.”

After struggling to keep afloat throughout the pandemic, Lopez said this is just a different hit.

“It’s a large amount all at the moment,” he told FOX40. “We just reopened and now we have to deal with this going on, it’s just a good deal.”

Lopez reported he’s still left feeling stressed on how to deliver in new customers through the four-day closure.

“Nobody appreciates that there’s firms above listed here and if it’s closed, how are they intended to get to us?” he questioned.

Caltrans officials urge commuters to approach forward and to stay clear of the open components of Highway 99 as significantly as feasible.

“We’re encouraging people to consider I-5 as an substitute route, but also plan appropriately,” DaPrato spelled out. “There’s going to be a whole lot of people working with I-5 as nicely.”

Caltrans stated they are working with new technological know-how to repair that 62-calendar year-aged bridge, a occupation that would normally consider 6 months to a 12 months to full.

When Caltrans ideas to entirely reopen the roadways by 4 a.m. on Wednesday, they claimed delays might transpire based on how the undertaking goes during the weekend.

“Honestly, just have to go with it. There’s definitely nothing at all we can do, you know,” Lopez stated. “I can try out to get my customers to arrive later on in the week if it obtained to that level.”