Construction on Frederick Road between Sam's Club and Tiger Town has been going on since February 2013 and is expected to be completed by early 2015.
"I would say if we are completely done by Christmas, everybody will be pleased," said Opelika City engineer Scott Parker. "That's our goal. That's not the real date."
After completion, Frederick Road will be five lanes across: two each way and a center turn lane.
There will also be a bike lane and a sidewalk built near the Shops at Midtown.
Money for the project comes from the City of Opelika and the Alabama Department of Transportation.
The City is contracting Robinson Paving Company out of Columbus, Georgia.
Originally, the estimated completion date was October 2014.
Weather and underground utilities are the two main reasons for delayed construction, according to Parker.
Casey Waid, who opened and has owned Play It Again Sports since December 2011, said the construction hurt business the most last October, when the road was cut down to one lane.
"At this time in 2013 to the end of September, I was up 35 percent over 2012," Waid said. "So I went from being up 35 percent on average to being down 25 percent in October. It was a 60 point swing in the negative direction."
The construction and use of only one lane lowered the amount of walk-in traffic to the area, according to Waid.
During that time, traveling the length of Frederick Road could take up to 45 minutes, and Waid would see posts on Facebook to avoid the road.
"It seems like, for the most part, a good number of people still avoid it and are going to avoid it until the construction is done," Waid said.
When Kandy Russell opened Smallcakes: A Cupcakery in the Shops at Midtown in September 2013, she was thinking of the long term.
"I feel like four lanes with a turn lane in the middle will be worth it," Russell said.
With walking traffic down during construction, Waid has resorted to guerilla marketing tactics.
A few months before construction began, Waid started Auburn Opelika Specials.
The site's Facebook and Twitter accounts advertise specials in the area to help local businesses.
"Every business here has been affected," Waid said. "They all experienced a big drop off in business when the road started, and I think there is some sense of unity in there."
Once construction is complete, both Russell and Waid see Frederick Road becoming a gateway between the two cities, much like Opelika Road.
Until then, Russell informs people that the construction is not as bad as before.
"It's not something you should go 'I am not going that way,' or 'it's not worth it,'" Russell said. "It's not that bad. It looks worse than it is with all those orange barrels sitting everywhere."
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