The closure of Interstate 95 continues to congest streets along Route 1 in Norwalk, impacting businesses in the area.
Outside the Silver Star Diner in Norwalk, owner Alexandros Savvidis saw traffic jams on Route 1.
“Bumper to bumper, someone tries to come in, but it’s impossible. If I have to leave, you have to go another way. It’s a back road, but there’s still a lot of traffic. That’s a lot,” he said.
Traffic caused by I-95 closure after tanker fire Thursday. The winding roads keep patrons away from the normally busy dinner rush, he said.
“Zero. When you go from 100 percent to 35 percent at once, they struggle to get in and out and it’s very difficult,” Savvidis said.
Traffic congestion has also delayed the start of work for employees.
“Right now we don’t have any staff. We don’t have chefs. We don’t have waitresses. We take orders. Everyone is stuck, so I cook what they order and deliver it,” he said. .
The Citgo gas station down the road is much better.
“It’s been pretty slow lately. We haven’t done anything that crazy, but it keeps happening. There’s nothing we can do yet,” gas station manager Aaron Sebastian said.
But the diverted traffic has created an opportunity for some brand new entrepreneurs.
“My mom said I could make $6,” said 9-year-old Rocky.
Her family ended up making $26 at the iced tea stand. The driver is generous with his cash, and he pays more than the advertised 25 cents per drink.
“The registers are full with a lot of people stuck in traffic, so it’s them who get to see their kids and make their weekend better,” said Brandon Tegano, Rocky’s father. I’m very happy about it.”
A weekend full of lessons about money.
“So people stopped and handed us $2 bills and nickels they had never seen before, so it was a really great experience for them,” he said.
It’s been a great experience for them, but long-established businesses like Silver Star Diner say they can’t wait until Monday when I-95 reopens.
“We’ve been here for 43 years and will continue to survive, but we’re hoping that people will come back or make an effort to come back,” said Silver Star Diner head chef Antoneos Karmanidis. I hope so.”
