What's Happening in Tigard, OR…

In downtown Tigard, repaving and construction has caused the closure of a major intersection, as well as many traffic delays. While business owners generally agree that the improvements to downtown will help the businesses over the long term, some are concerned about the short-term hits their companies might take.

Warren Reeser, owner of Café Allegro, told the Oregonian that customers found it to be too much of a hassle to get to his café for their lunch breaks now. On the afternoon that he spoke to Eder Campuzano for the Oregonian, the café was empty, except for Reeser and a server.

Other business owners met with the City Council on July 8 to express their concern over the lack of clear communication from the city to the businesses about the upcoming work. According to Reeser, businesses were originally told that there would be no road closures at all.

The shops that rely heavily on foot traffic and customer convenience are experiencing more issues than others. According to Oregon Live, Terry Neddeau, the owner of the Tigard Liquor Store, told the city that she had suffered a 35% loss in June.

Since the council meeting, the city has brought in new communication procedures, including investing in flyer printing, and delivered a window sticker to Neddeau’s business to help assure customers that the store is open.