Mecca Motel owner "Liz" Salinas is at ground zero of the "Westside Avenue Action Plan."
"We feel like we’re on an island all four streets around us," Salinas said.
But Saturday was a quiet day compared to regular weekdays given the construction project is on pause through Tuesday in observance of Memorial Day.
"They don’t work on the weekends," Salinas added.
"So the majority of our tourists don’t have any issues with it as long as they can come and go."
What’s left behind, though, is still posing a few obstacles for her regular visitors.
"Whoa, [the construction] is even worse than the last time I was here," said Mecca Motel guest Lori-Lynne Lawson.
"Aren’t they done yet?"
"[The project will be completed] by December of 2018, we are going to have at least a little bit of work spill over into 2019," said El Paso County spokesperson Greg Dingrando.
To avoid any confusion, the project team has provided business access signs.
"We have a few special signs that are letting cars and drivers coming through this area know that the businesses are open," Dingrando added.
But Salinas is glad she doesn’t rely on folks going out of their way to stop here.
"Mecca Motel," which has been in the family for 39 years, is driven solely by reservations.
"We don’t have the need for walk-ins which would be an issue," Salinas noted.
The construction just means her regular customers will have to be a little patient.
"If I didn’t have a reservation, if I didn’t know them, all those ‘if’s’ taken away, would I pull in here and pull into this?" Lawson reflected.
:Absolutely not. Absolutely not."
But despite the extra hurdles, Salinas thinks it’ll be worth it.
The project promises new storm drainage and flood mitigation among other benefits.
"It’ll be a big improvement for the rain, the drainage, there won’t be any flooding over here."
