From Highway 1 to 10th Street in Grover Beach, road construction has impacted drivers for months. Businesses on West Grand Avenue have been dealing with it since last fall and say they've noticed a dip in customers.
"The struggle is that there are so many detours that people would rather take their business elsewhere, and the hardest thing is that it changes every day so one day one section of the road is open and the next it's closed," said Heidi Hernandez, Julia's Juice Bar.
She says they were told construction would be wrapped up by Christmas, but nearly two months later, it continues.
With her family's business in the thick of the construction zone, Hernandez says communication with the city hasn't been great.
"The city hasn't come in to see what we're dealing with. They are leaving the communication to the construction workers, so we haven't had any talks with the city, unfortunately," she said.
Grover Beach Mayor Kassi Dee also owns a local business, Nan's Books, located just outside of the construction zone.
"We have an amazing downtown business scene that is the heartbeat of our economy," Dee said. "We want to hear their concerns with the construction and help them as best we can."
Mayor Dee says she hears the business owners' complaints and that's why the city is now offering grants of up to $2,000 for affected businesses.
"It's small but it's us saying thank you to them for understanding that the construction is going to add to the downtown experience while also acknowledging the delay that was caused in construction," Dee said.
Hernandez says she's grateful for the money, but it might not be enough.
"It'll help with utilities, employees, and rent but revenue took a real hit so it'll take more to bounce back, but it's nice that we have a buffer now from it," she said.
To apply for the business grant, click here for the online application. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on March 7.
Twenty grants are available, and city officials say recipients will receive the grants by April 30.
