Jenny West 6 inches

Due to road repairs, half of one of the major intersections in Ozark is currently closed-off, as is access to the south side of 3rd St., causing some serious traffic problems during the rush hours this week. Many Ozark citizens are having to find alternative routes in order to avoid the traffic, particularly during from 7-9 am and 3:30-6 pm, but for many, it is unavoidable. Amy Hinot is finding it especially hard to cope with the current traffic problems. “My husband and I both work from 8 until 5,” Hinot says, “We have to take our boys to daycare just beyond the intersection that they’re fixing.” Instead of making a straight trip to the daycare center, Hinot says that she must drive another 30 minutes out of her way simply because traffic congestion has become such a problem.

Families on a tight schedule aren’t the only people being affected by the street repairs, though. Many local business owners are having to temporarily adjust their mindsets and expectations in order to deal with the blocked intersection. Carrie Sands, a local café owner, has seen a change in what used to be the usual flow of business. “People are coming in waves much later than we’re used to. We normally have about three rushes per day, but this past week has been very hit-and-miss,” Sands says.

Many business in Ozark are ready for things to return to business as usual, as are many members of the community. Dayton Payne, one of the men working on the renovation, is confident that the repairs will be finished sometime at the end of next week. “We’re on schedule so far. Hopefully we won’t run into any problems so we can get the job done on time,” Payne says.

The current repairs are just the beginning of many renovations within the next few years in attempt to make the city of Ozark better equipped for its quickly rising population.