Ongoing construction in Scranton affects local businesses, including Izzy’s Pizzeria, as traffic and parking are disrupted.
The owner, Jim Warren, is feeling the pinch. He opened his pizzeria on February 14, and just a week later, the parking lot got fenced off for a sewer-stormwater tank project. Talk about bad timing! He’s been asking the city council when this will all wrap up because it’s really hurting his business.
The project is supposed to help with stormwater overflow into the Lackawanna River, which is great for the environment. But for Jim, it’s a struggle. He mentioned that the construction has cut off a big part of the parking lot, making it tough for customers to get in and out.
The water company says the project is on track to finish later this year, but the costs have gone up from $12.5 million to $15 million due to unexpected site conditions. That’s a hefty increase!
On top of that, there’s another project going on to replace the Green Ridge Street Bridge, which is causing even more detours and closures. Jim’s worried that if things don’t improve soon, his pizzeria might not survive. He’s hoping they can get through this tough patch and come out okay on the other side.
