It’s been a tough few months for small business owners in an east London neighbourhood who have felt the impact — and related headaches — of the city’s second largest infrastructure project of the year.

In addition to falling sales, speeding through neighbourhood side streets where traffic has been diverted has emerged as a problem.

Katie Sullivan, owner of Ten Eighteen on Dundas and a neighbourhood resident, purchased signs saying, “Drive like your kids live here” in a bid to combat speeders.

They’ve been put up throughout Old East Village.

Temporary speed bumps have been installed on streets off of Dundas, and the ward’s councillor said London police have been targeting the area for enforcement.

“It’s very frustrating, frankly, all of the different measures that the police and our traffic folks have put in place, yet we still have drivers driving in an unsafe way,” said Ward 4 Coun. Jesse Helmer. “That’s been very stressful for residents.”

The $8.5 million sewer and street reconstruction of Dundas Street started in Old East Village in late April. The sewer system in the area is more than 100 years old.

“This infrastructure construction needs to happen and it comes with disruptions,” said Jen Pastorius, manager of the Old East Village business improvement area.

Miki Hambalek, owner of The Hungary Butcher, says his sales have fallen nearly 40 per cent since construction started.

“There’s no traffic whatsoever,” he said. “Unless you are taking your time and your aggravation coming to shop at our stores, there’s nobody that’s going to come.”

The Hungary Butcher is on Dundas between Ontario and Quebec streets. Entry to that part of Dundas has been restricted to local traffic only. Dundas between Quebec and Egerton streets has been closed since work began.

Hambalek thinks the street only should have been partly closed. But Helmer said the street was completely closed so the project would be completed faster.

“If there had been a partial closure done, that segment would have taken longer. There’s a tradeoff there,” said Helmer.

Dan Phillips, owner of Illbury + Goose on Dundas, said most of his clothing store’s sales are online, but other issues are nagging at him.

He said it took the city a week to clean up garbage strewn near the front of his business.

“We have to do a bit better job of clearing (the garbage out) when that does happen,” said Helmer.

On completion, Dundas also will get a facelift.

Closures on Dundas will shift east next week to between Kellogg Lane and McCormick Boulevard. If the project stays on schedule, closures will affect Dundas into the fall. The project is expected to be finished late this year.

“If anyone could choose whether or not the street’s going to be torn up in front of their business, they’re not going to choose that,” said Sullivan. “But we don’t have a choice, because it needs to be done, so what’s the point of complaining?”

cpinkerton@postmedia.com

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