Midland Drive Rehab: World Cup Break for Businesses

0:00From the streets of Kansas to the world, this is Kansas News Today. Construction is ramping up again on Midland Drive in Shawnee, right in the heart of the Midland Entertainment District. The city plans to rehabilitate the road between Interstate 435 and Shawnee Mission Parkway to improve safety. Officials say the work will stop during the World Cup to avoid bigger disruptions. This follows two years of stop and star projects on Interstate 435 and Midland Drive tied to a state bridge replacement. Local spots have dealt with detours and access issues for a while now. Business owners report sales dips from the ongoing headaches, though not as bad as last year. They feel customers are picking other places because of the mess and many wish for smarter scheduling. Owners like those at a nearby liquor store and a new restaurant say they've poured extra cash in just to stay afloat. Still, they're glad for the World Cup break. With the highway clear then, they see a chance to highlight Kansas City as a top spot. Everyone's keeping an eye on signs for what comes next.