Traders concerned on day one as King William Rd shutdown starts
It’s week one of the King William Rd shutdown and some traders are already worried about the economic costs of the project.
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Unley Council’s $15.5 million upgrade of King William Rd is in full swing, with traders divided over whether a little bit of pain will be worth the long-term gain.
Works on the Park St/Mitchell St intersection began on Monday morning (June 17) and will cause disruption for commuters and concerns for traders for at least the next five weeks.
The road closure has forced motorists to use Goodwood and Unley roads, which already struggle with congestion issues.
Joe Tsoleridis, who has owned the Extra Newsagency for 30 years, said business had been “quieter than usual” for a Monday.
“It’s a worrying start and with any project like this you’ve got to expect it to drag out longer than they estimate,” Mr Tsoleridis said.
“There are a lot of the businesses here very concerned they will have to go into further debt to survive this.”
Mr Tsoleridis was frustrated Unley Council had not done more to look after traders during the roadworks.
“They should have allocated a compensation fund for those who might lose their livelihoods because of this,” he said.
“I asked council to consider reducing rates during this time so that landlords can pass on the savings to shop owners but they said we need to negotiate directly with our landlords for rent relief.”
Ros Ellery, from Denim Iniquity, has been a trader on the street for the past 36 years and recalls the last King William Rd development, in 1984.
“That took almost two years and was diabolical,” she said.
“I really think the council and the builder (Brisbane-based company BMD Construction) have done all they can so far to make this a far better experience.”
Ms Ellery said a loyal customer base would ensure most shops did not suffer too much economic loss.
“They really don’t want anyone to go to the wall and will stay loyal,” she said.
“I think this will be a little bit of pain for a lot of gain and I know of people who are biting at the bit to get in here once the redevelopment is completed.”
The redevelopment includes repaving the road and footpaths.
Project manager Rod Hook said for the project’s first two stages, which were being done concurrently, the road would be closed from 11pm on Sunday nights to 6am on Thursday mornings for the next three weeks.
At all other times, the road would be open in both directions but there would be no parking permitted on the street, he said.
“It is possible to get in there to shop but we are keen to divert commuter traffic away from the area,” Mr Hook said.
“You can still drive in from the north and park on the eastern side or in the surrounding streets.”
He said the street would be closed every day from the start of the school holidays on July 8 with the intention to have it reopened by mid-August.
“I say four weeks for that but it could possibly be five because of the weather considerations,” Mr Hook said.
“But either way (the road) will be open again in early August.”
Regular updates regarding the project works are on the Unley Council website: designkingwilliam.com
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