‘Someone’s getting their road torn up’: Businesses, city at odds over SoHo flood plan

August 12, 2026 - 07:30

The South Howard flood relief project is now about 60 percent through the design phase, but the business owners who will be most affected are far from sold on the plan. At a recent open house, every single owner who spoke with reporters said they want the city to go back to the drawing board before any ground is broken.

The concern is not about whether flooding needs to be fixed. That part is agreed upon. The problem is how the city plans to do it. The current design calls for significant street work that would tear up the road in front of many shops and restaurants. Owners worry about months of construction, lost foot traffic, and the overall look of the finished project. One business owner put it bluntly, saying someone is getting their road torn up, and they do not want it to be them.

City engineers argue the project is necessary and that the current design is the most cost effective and technically sound option. They say they have already made changes based on earlier feedback, but the business community remains skeptical. There is a clear gap between what the city sees as a functional solution and what the shop owners see as a threat to their livelihood.

The open house was meant to inform, but it turned into a forum for frustration. Owners are asking for more time, more dialogue, and a design that does not shut down the street for an extended period. The city says it is listening, but no major changes have been announced. With the design already past the halfway mark, the window for significant revisions is closing fast.