INDIANAPOLIS — The North Split interchange through downtown Indianapolis is expected to be fully open to traffic on Monday for the first time in two years.
Since 1905, family-owned Leon Tailoring has been a staple in Indianapolis, located near the Delaware Street ramp to Interstate 65 for decades.
Owners Norman and Larry Ettinger said their business has survived a lot over the years, but the North Split construction created a nightmare for their customers.
"It's a tedious job to get here and get in and out of this area now, where before it was so simple," said Larry.
They've been frustrated, not with the road work itself, but with the resulting closure of the I-65 ramp near their store.
"Literally cut off a whole part of town to be able to get to you, that's basically what they did," said Larry.
"You're hurting the downtown area. If you want to build the downtown area, you don't try every which way to destroy it," said Norman.
When the North Split fully reopens, drivers won't be able to access I-65 southbound from the Delaware/11th Street ramp anymore. And the Meridian/Pennsylvania Street exit will only be available to drivers on northbound I-65. Drivers from the east side on I-70 now must drive past Meridian to exit at West St. and backtrack east to Leon, or take the I-65 southbound collector to exit at Michigan Street and drive north on Delaware. Both options add several city blocks and stoplights to their previous trip.
The Ettinger brothers worry that inconvenience may cause people to shop elsewhere.
"How do you tell them [how] to get here with any comparative ease? Honestly you can't, it doesn't happen. Now they have to exit search to see how they get here," said Larry.
The brothers wish INDOT would have consulted with local business owners during the planning stages. Now they said it's too late.
"We fight it out. We do what we can. But it just isn't right," said Norman.
"The only other thing we can do is explain to our clientele how to get here with some comparative ease, but not the ease they would have had otherwise," said Larry.