Store Owners Fear 5-Week Closure Of Coldwater Canyon Will Hurt Business

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) —  A five-week construction project along Coldwater Canyon means the busy thoroughfare will be shut from Mulholland to Ventura Boulevard.

Construction has yet to begin but many residents already fear gridlock and many store owners worry business will dry up.

A huge water main break in 2009 is behind the new construction and upgrade in infrastructure.

That incident four years ago wreaked havoc on the area.  People in the area say they expect more of the same when construction begins this Sunday.

KCAL9's Serene Branson reported from Studio City where anxious people said they were getting ready to have their lives turned upside down.

Coldwater Canyon is a major artery linking the San Fernando Valley to West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the west side. Officials say Coldwater will be shut from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday for a month.

"It's going to be bad," says Buzz Wolf, a Canyon resident. He worries the traffic spillover will be a pain. "I'm going to break out my bicycle and do a lot of walking."

The water main break in 2009 shut the Bistro Garden briefly Manager Maurice Cohen said the long term fix will be worth the headache but is not sure what the disruption for a month will mean to his business.

"We hope it's not going to be too bad but we don't know. I know we have a lot of customers from Beverly Hills and it's easy for them to go over the canyon."

Officials said construction can't be done overnight as the area is too residential.

"I think everyone should go forth with a lot of patience. I'm not a religious man but if you believe in God you should pray a lot. I myself probably will have a beer and stay home," said Wolf.