LOVELAND, Colo. -- Part of a major road is closed off to the public for eight months from the Big Thompson Canyon floods that hit in 2013.
The Colorado Department of Transportation needs to close parts of US 34 to make another round of repairs. The road was closed last year, but reopened for the summer. Businesses along the highway said they must adjust.
"We just have to do what we have to do, it's not something that we want to happen," said Karen Francis, an employee at the Colorado Cherry Company.
The family owned company said for this closure, they are planning to close the original store for the winter.
"The road closed for about a mile and a half beyond us, and so we stayed open and locals knew we were here and they'd come," Francis said.
US 34 will close before drivers can get to the store.
The Colorado Cherry Company will be opening at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park and will open a location at Centerra in Loveland on November 1st.
But, one businesses said this closure may help them.
"We'll be the turnaround place instead of three miles up the road like last time," said Mary Myers, an employee at The Dam Store.
This winter’s closure will start right after The Dam Store.
CDOT closed parts of the road on Monday from just east of Mall Road to The Dam Store.
Canyon residents will still have access through U.S. 34 by permit only. The road will reopen to everyone right before Memorial Weekend.
