DES MOINES, Iowa — Reconstruction on a stretch of Fleur Drive just south of Watrous is nearing an end. As the pavement is looking smooth at the stretch past the bowling alley and B-Bops many are getting excited to see this open.

“I always tell people tomorrow, of course it’s not going to be tomorrow, so someday I’ll be right,” said Seth Grote, of Freedom Tire. “That’s a challenge for sure and all the configuration of the cones is different every day so we had to navigate that as our customers, but at the end of the day we were able to help people.”

At Francie’s there was a busy noon-time crowd on Tuesday. This restaurant has counted on loyal customers, not only through construction, but during COVID-19 as well.

Business owners along here have been getting letters from the city, indicating this might conclude around October 25 — that’s music to the ears of those who work here. 

“Hopefully this week, end of this week, was what we’re estimating,” said Alex Woods, of Francie’s. “We’re not getting our hopes up, but we think within the next week, probably by next Monday will be done on our section.”

The City of Des Moines is not saying exactly when this stretch will be completed.

People who do business here have learned to live with the traffic being rerouted or limited.

“They found a way, it’s been going on long enough to where everybody’s kind of figured out a little secret passages to get here and in and out.”