MAUMELLE, Ark. — The Interstate 40 interchange in Maumelle is nearing completion.
And while people traveling Maumelle Boulevard anticipate the sigh of relief from traffic congestion, some businesses along the stretch of road aren't as eager.
"All the traffic will go to the other side of I-40, so it's going to take a lot of traffic from here," said Maumelle Food Mart owner Sam Kassis.
The interchange will soon open, taking drivers straight into the heart of Maumelle at Counts Massie Road, bypassing a portion of the boulevard.
ARDOT expects drivers to notice a big difference in traffic flow once the project is complete.
The loss of heavy traffic worries Kassis, who fears he may lose too much business.
But just two doors down, others see an opportunity.
"You know, having more access points in the city is going to be a great thing," Tommy Ransom said.
Ransom works at the Cut Off Salon and sees fender benders on the boulevard daily.
He's hopeful the loss of bumper-to-bumper traffic will attract more people to the salon.
Alicia Gillen with the Maumelle Chamber of Commerce doesn't want businesses to worry about survival.
She believes a boom in residential growth won't take away from any local business.
"While the businesses see a certain car or resident driving by their business on the boulevard, I expect they'll see different clientele and different opportunities in the future," she said.
For Kassis, he will keep his fingers crossed and rely on local customers.