The Halloween storm is still causing problems and delaying construction of a section of Burlington's Greenway bike path. Burlington officials say storm damage and continued high water levels mean that the South End section will be closed this summer.

"The bike path for us is just a gem of Burlington," said Doug Stewart of Ski Rack. While many bikes may be frozen in February, Stewart says in the summer, bike rentals are big business. "We definitely send a lot of tourists out of here on a rental bike."

But this year a section on the bike path just south of their shop -- from Perkins Pier to Harrison Avenue -- will be closed all summer and into the fall. The Halloween storm is delaying construction in an area by the Barge Canal bridge and where the water never lowered.

"Unfortunately, we did have the lake rising two-feet," said Cindi Wight with Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront. "If the storm had not happened, we would have continued with normal lake levels. We would have been able to get the Barge Banal done with the exception of paving.

The path in the area here is already partly dug up and Wight says it must stay closed until fall when the water recedes and construction begins. "We can't open it up due to a safety factor," she said.

For now, a detour is sending people on Pine Street. And when the busy summer season starts, the city wants people to stay north of Perkins Pier. "Really, we encourage everyone to go north," Wight said.

And that's what Stewart says he plans to tell visitors who are unfamiliar with the area and want to enjoy the path. In the meantime, he's excited for fall when construction will be complete. "It would be awesome, having everything would be great," he said.

Officials say the budget for the project remains on target including fixing the other storm damage along the bike path.