Hyde Park businesses may suffer from deja-vu this summer but they hope it's not a re-occurring nightmare.
This year's major construction project will be the widening of Hyde Park Road along with new sewers and water lines to the tune of $22 million.
Business don't want a repeat of 2004 as the intersection of Hyde Park and Gainsborough was torn up, leaving business owners complaining they were cut off from customers.
Rennie Pieterman heads up the Hyde Park Road Widening Committee and admits it won't be easy this year.
"They're going to suffer, there's no doubt about it. But we know it has to be done," says Pieterman.
Pieterman says this time businesses won't be cut off.
"They've assured us that accesses will be open to hall businesses and traffic from both ways will be open during the whole construction phase," says Pieterman.
Preparations are already underway with hydro lines being moved so construction crews get to work next week.
The CN overpass will be replaced as part of the road widening effort and the city is also trying to make life easier for other modes of transportation along with other creatures.
"It's sidewalks, it's bike lane, it even includes a crossing to improve safety for turtles. There's an identified turtle cross south of the CPR and we're including a culvert and fencing to try to get turtles to cross underneath the road so they'll be safe from passing motorists," says Doug McCrae, Manager of Transportation Planning.
The additional businesses and homes has created even more traffic on the two lane roadway putting a heavier burden on the two lane roadway.
Vilma Antolini relies on Hyde Park to get to and from work.
She's not looking forward to the short term pain but is holding out hope for the long term gain.
"I'm just not really happy with that idea, but I'm sure the outcome's going to be great. So if they're going to widen up the road and make a lot more room for everybody else to pass through, that would be wonderful," says Antolini.
