Construction on a multi-year Paving for Progress project is set to start its second year of work on Feb. 29. City officials expect lane reductions along First Avenue East between 27th and 29th Streets as crews begin utility work.

According to Doug Wilson, the city’s capital improvements project manager, construction season is starting earlier this year thanks to warm weather.

“We can get more stuff done earlier, and hopefully we don't have delays,” Wilson said. “Whenever the weather gets nice you want to see work start because it might rain later on in the year.”

But for some businesses that sit along the construction route, the work cost them customers last year.

“Definitely in the middle of it we saw reduced traffic into the shop,” said Emily Hoffman, manager of John’s Lock and Key.

It’s a problem the city combats with signs directing customers to shops.

“We have specific signs for specific businesses to help people understand where the driveway is to get into that area so we disrupt them as little as possible,” Wilson said.

But Hoffman is worried the problems her business experienced last year will happen again.

“It is difficult in terms of traffic flow, it's difficult as a commuter, and certainly as a business it's hard to get people here,” she said.

Wilson said the city will plan lane reductions for low-traffic times throughout the day.