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Businesses and chamber urge clearer plans, access and schedules for Custer Road project
Summary
Business leaders and individual business owners said the city's Custer Road reconstruction plans lack consistent maps and schedules, leaving affected businesses uncertain about customer access, staffing and financial impacts; the Lakewood Chamber asked for direct, continued outreach and finalized detour and timing plans.
Business owners and the Lakewood Chamber told the council on July 20 that planned Custer Road construction threatens customer access and business viability unless staff provide clearer schedules, detour maps and commitments to minimize closure durations.
Linda Smith, president and CEO of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber supports the project in principle but asked staff and council to "finalize and clearly communicate access plans, detours, and construction schedules as soon as possible" and to work directly with affected businesses. Corey Campbell, representing Classy Chassis and local business owners, said city maps were contradictory (one showing full closure, another suggesting cross access) and cited shifting duration estimates (45 days, then 60 days, then an Oct. 31 map). "How do I answer the communications director when he asks how many hours we'll be open when our staff doesn't even know if they'll have jobs?" Campbell asked.
Council members acknowledged the concerns and staff indicated meetings with businesses and project outreach efforts are under way; members asked for contractor schedules, clearer project web presence, and consideration of incentives or schedule‑compression strategies to reduce business impact. No council motion was taken at the meeting; staff and council signalled an intent to continue direct outreach and to share more detailed schedules with businesses.
