As traffic continues to snarl streets along Route 1 in Norwalk, from the I-95 closure, it’s having an impact on businesses in the area.
Outside of Silver Star Diner in Norwalk, owner Alexandros Savvidis sees a clogged Route 1.
“Bumper to bumper and somebody wants to come in, it’s impossible. If I have to leave, you got to go the other way. Back roads and still a lot of traffic,” he said.
Traffic caused by the I-95 closure after Thursday’s tanker fire. He says the snarled road is keeping regular customers away from an usually busy dinner rush.
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“Zero. From 100 percent in one time to 35 percent and they have a hard time coming in and going and it’s very difficult,” Savvidis said.
The traffic also delaying his workers from starting their shifts.
“Right now, I have no staff. No chef. No waitress. I take the order. I cook the order and I deliver the order, because everybody’s got stuck,” he said.
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It’s not much better down the road at a Citgo gas station.
“It’s pretty slow nowadays. We haven’t made no like nothing that crazy, but it’s going on. Still nothing we can do,” Arron Sebastian, a gas station manager, said.
But the diverted traffic did bring opportunity for some brand-new entrepreneurs.
“My mom said that we would make six dollars,” nine-year-old Rocky said.
Her family wound up making $26 from their iced tea stand. Drivers being generous with their cash, paying more than the advertised 25 cents a cup.
“The cash register is full from so many people who have been stuck in traffic, so it’s so nice of them to see the kids and make their weekend even better,” Brandon Tegano, Rocky’s father said.
A weekend filled with lessons on money.
“So, people have stopped and gave two-dollar bills that they’ve never seen before and 50 cent coins, so really making it a great experience for them,” he said.
While it’s a great experience for them, long time businesses like Silver Star Diner say they can’t wait for Monday to come when I-95 is set to reopen.
“We’ve been here 43 years and we will survive but we hope everyone will come back or try and get back here,” Antoneos Kalmanidis, head chef at Silver Star Diner, said.
