MANISTEE — The end of winter is usually a time when business slows in tourism-driven communities like Manistee, but some local businesses like North Channel Brewing Co. have seen an even bigger decline than expected this year.
The reason, according to North Channel manager Anthony Wotnow, is ongoing work on the nearby Maple Street Bridge.
“I understand that the bridge needs maintenance (and) updating, but it is difficult for businesses, especially for us who are right next to the bridge,” Wotnow said. “It’s our slowest time of the year, pretty much the same for all businesses in Manistee, but (the closure) affects us.”
The bridge is undergoing more than $915,000 in repairs and is expected to keep it closed to traffic through May, according to an Instagram post from the city of Manistee.
“The scope of work includes repainting the structural steel, which requires the bridge to remain closed to boat traffic. Additional work on the sidewalks and access spans will be completed in May. The bridge should be open to all traffic before May 30, 2022,” stated the publication of the director of the Department of Public Works, Jeff Mikula.
The work at Maple Street Bridge is a frequent topic of conversation during weekly manager meetings at North Channel Brewing, Wotnow said.
“We talked about how the bridge is affecting our business and we understand that it is something that needs to be done for safety reasons,” he said.
Located just north of the bridge on Washington Street, the brewery relies on foot traffic from downtown Manistee. But with the bypass in place, the pedestrians the brewery relies on stay on the opposite side of the Manistee River.
“We’re definitely missing foot traffic on River Street,” Wotnow said. “On beautiful days…There will be a lot of people walking, going out (because) they are tired of this snow…We usually get crowds, especially on sunny days…maybe walking down River Street and they would come down and have a beer, they have lunch and instead now they have to walk all the way.”
Kristina Bajtka, director of communications and investor relations for the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, said companies like North Channel have reported being slower than normal due to the rerouting, but added that other factors may also be affecting local trade.
“I think everyone is a little slow at the moment. But yeah, I think the bridge is having an impact,” Bajtka told the News Advocate in an interview in February.
However, not all downtown businesses have been as directly affected as North Channel Brewing.
Jamie Catlett, owner of J Catlett and Company, a barbershop on Maple Street near River Street, said the way she operates her business means things like a bridge closure don’t hit so close to home.
“It hasn’t really affected my business at all,” Catlett said. “That’s mainly because my client base is based on appointments. The traffic, as far as the cars outside, I definitely see a decrease, but as far as the business itself, it has not affected me at all.
A 2017 study by the WMU School of Civil Engineering and Construction cited an 11-33% loss in business revenue due to bridge construction in cities with a population of around 5,000.
This study, funded by the Michigan Department of Transportation, measured the economic impact due to bridge construction on nearby businesses. In a limited number of cities, there was a slight increase in overall business revenue, while most cities saw a decline in business revenue during construction, the study found.
The work on the Maple Street Bridge comes on the heels of another major bridge construction project in Manistee Township that lasted about a year. MDOT reopened the M-55 bridge near the US 31 intersection to traffic in December after delays due in part to poor weather conditions.
Companies like North Channel could be in a position to reap some future benefits from the closure of another bridge along the Manistee River. MDOT plans to work on the nearby Memorial Bridge in 2023, and some US 31 traffic could be diverted through the now-closed Maple Street Bridge crossing during construction.
