Some downtown Felton business owners have felt the pinch of lost tourism traffic since Highway 9 closed just north of Santa Cruz.
Last month, Caltrans closed a stretch of the highway to build a new retaining wall, forcing drivers to take the long way around — via detours up Mount Hermon or Graham Hill roads — to reach the San Lorenzo Valley from Santa Cruz.
The closure is expected to last through mid-October. No drivers, walkers or cyclists will be allowed on the winding, rural road between Felton and Santa Cruz.
Brad Aarons, general manager of Abbott’s Thrift in Felton, said he has not seen the tourist traffic he expects at this time of year.
“Our weekends are noticeably slower,” Aarons said. “I don’t see how there could be any way around it, though.”
The closure is to repair damage caused by a 2006 landslide. Road crews will stabilize the slope under the roadway and install a safety rail to protect bicyclists and pedestrians, along with other improvements.
Judy Anderson of Liberty Bank, president of the Felton Business Association, said the group is exploring the costs of putting a banner across Graham Hill Road in Felton that points shoppers toward the downtown district. However, she said only some business owners have approached her with complaints about a loss of income.
“There’s been no affect on the bank from the Highway 9 closure,” she said. “We haven’t felt any pain from that.”
Anderson noted that there is less traffic at rush hour, but those people are typically commuters who would not likely stop at a specialty stop on their way home.
At the Felton Farmers Market, Bethany Dickerson of Gonzales Orchards said the market — outside of St. John’s Catholic Church from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays — seems slower than normal, especially given the recent sunshine.
“Usually, when it’s nice weather, there are a lot of people, but it’s been pretty empty,” Dickerson said.
John MacDonald at Felton Feed said his business has not been hurt much, perhaps because he has a lot of local customers who do not need to travel from Santa Cruz, though he noted that traffic patterns on the road have changed.
“There are no more motorcycles coming by,” MacDonald said.
He said there has been less traffic overall on Highway 9 in Felton, but more at the intersection of Graham Hill Road and Highway 9.
“There are three arteries coming from Santa Cruz into Felton, and when you close one of them, it makes traffic worse,” he said.
Rebecca Rickey of the newly opened This, That and the Other, a consignment and thrift store, said foot traffic is down in the area’s shops.
“I’ve definitely been affected,” Rickey said. “I haven’t been open that long, but I can tell the town is emptier for this time of year. I’ve noticed less motor homes passing by, and on the Fourth of July, it was like a ghost town here.”
Karen Diamond, owner of gift shop Virgo Rising, said the closure has dealt a blow to the entire tourist season.
“It’s seriously impacted business,” Diamond said. “It’s cut down my traffic at least 30 percent, especially on the weekends, when tourists come through.”
Diamond said her business had just started to pick up this spring, but was largely halted by the construction.
“During this recession, we can’t afford this,” she said. “We can’t afford to have more empty businesses in Felton.”
