LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Small businesses along Maryland Parkway say a major RTC infrastructure project is doing more than slowing traffic — it's threatening their survival.
WATCH | Abel Garcia went out to the area to hear about the impact the construction has had on businesses:
Tattoo artist Bryanna Cortez, who works at King of Hearts Tattoo, says the construction has cut into business since work moved into the stretch between Sierra Vista Drive and Dumont Boulevard.
"I'm going to give you like a percentage, maybe like 20% less," Cortez said.
The shop sits across from Boulevard Mall, where walk-in customers used to regularly stop in. Cortez says many people are now avoiding the area altogether.
"Everyone, like the artists, we all pay to be here," Cortez said. "So imagine having to pay to be here and you have this going on. It's a little rough."
A few doors down, the DJ Museum is facing similar challenges. Right in front of the business, a trench for a storm drain is being built and there is no crosswalk.
Sam Maxion opened the DJ Museum less than a year ago. Just as the business was starting to build momentum, he says, construction ramped up.
"We're trying to lay the foundation and gain the momentum with the tourists and the locals," Maxion said. "But when you have this as a barrier, it becomes quite challenging."
Maxion says the biggest issue is access, with blocked crosswalks, closed lanes and fewer people walking through the area.
"We would get visitors every hour, and since the construction began, everything has dipped about 50% through that duration," Maxion said.
The construction is part of RTC's larger Maryland Parkway Project, which stretches from Russell Road to downtown Las Vegas. RTC says the work will bring long-term improvements to the corridor.
For these business owners, the concern is whether they can hold on long enough to see it finished.
"We are prepared to work through it, but at the same time, when we have lack of community support and the turnout, then that's where everything becomes a little bit more challenging," Maxion said.
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