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Everhart construction leading to holiday traffic nightmare

Candy Cane Lane
Posted at 6:16 PM, Dec 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-03 19:35:17-05

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If you've driven on Everhart Road, you know it can be a traffic nightmare.

Work on a $14 million project started about two months ago. It's not been good news for local businesses and homeowners in the area, who are now dealing with even heavier traffic because of the upcoming holidays.

The Candy Cane Lane neighborhood, which attracts a lot of visitors this time of year, is not far from Everhart Road, which means traffic will only get worse.

Those taking part in the Candy Cane Lane displays, like David Pena, are busy putting up their Christmas decorations. While he is fixing up his yard on Donegal Drive for the holiday celebration, the increase in traffic has been no holiday since December arrived.

"You can tell each day, it's starting to get a little more, little more, little more people," said Pena.

While sightseers come to check out the decorations, Peña and others worry this area will only get more congested.

"We've been through here, and you'll see a lot of people get impatient," said Pena. "Most definitely, it's going to be getting worse."

Businesses along Everhart Road like G&S Tattoo Studio are also feeling the double whammy of roadwork and holiday traffic.

"I think it'll add a lot to the chaos because even before the construction, the traffic was backed up a very bad during Candy Cane Lane," said Ron Perez, the owner of the tattoo studio.

Perez says the shop already takes a hit around the holidays because many are out shopping for Christmas gifts.

Meanwhile, next door at Chop Shop Barber Shop, instead of the big holiday crowds, they worry they'll see a trim in walk-in business.

"It's mostly jampacked, morning and throughout the whole day, so people that are driving down Everhart that don't drive down Everhart, will probably avoid it," said Art Mendez, the shop's owner.

People are already driving through the area to check out the Candy Cane Lane decorations, but their big block party is still coming up.

That's on Dec. 21, so traffic is expected to get even heavier on that day.

The police department will be in the area for the party and will be helping with traffic control. Some roads will also temporarily be changed to one-way traffic.

KRIS 6 will update you on the changes as the event gets closer.