Construction a headache for shops

Gravel paths have replaced sidewalks on Main Street in downtown Franklin.

Some businesses facing the street are blocked off by construction that began in June, their front entrances no longer usable. One doctor’s office has had to turn away patients who are in wheelchairs because there is no sidewalk leading to the front door.

Local business owners have seen fewer customers since the city started the North Main Street project this summer. Some owners have taken their concerns to Mayor Joe McGuinness, who is looking for ways to let customers know the businesses are open and accessible.

McGuinness has asked the company in charge of the construction to put up signs that say the businesses are open. He also wants residents to know they can use an alley off Jefferson Street to reach the parking lot behind the Johnson County Courthouse Annex North building, where people often park when they visit the Artcraft Theatre and the Willard.

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