Norman Businesses Struggle Amid Road Construction

Construction in Norman caused complications on Saturday during game day at OU, not only for fans trying to find parking but also for business owners.

For the rest of the OU football season, one of the main roads near the stadium, Lindsey Street, will be closed for construction. That means traffic headaches for fans and dwindling cash flow for businesses that are usually booming.

“Shop Lindsey Street so we survive!” said Peter Richard, manager at Corkscrew Wine and Spirits.

Richard and other employees are getting tired of seeing more traffic barrels than patrons.

“It’s knocked a third of our business off,” he said.

The Lindsey exit on Interstate 35 is closed altogether. Norman police have advised the public to take Robinson, Main Street or State Highway 9 to avoid detours and delays along Lindsey, and it seems people are mostly listening.

“It’s probably wise.” We still want people to wheedle through here and find us,” Richard said.

Right now, the Lindsey Street businesses are working on ways to get customers in the door, including giving discounts for wearing special T-shirts. Despite tens of thousands of OU fans descending on Norman each week, they still have yet to find the right solution with months of continued construction still ahead.

“On Labor Day weekend, we did about 55 percent of what we normally do,” Richard said.

If you do plan to attend OU home games this weekend, be sure to consult the maps to find your best route. Also, leave extra early to arrive in time for kick-off.