The installation of new gas lines will cause Main Street to have even fewer parking spaces for the next four or five weeks.

And that's bad news to Carol-cyn's business owner Carol Schwettman, who says the lack of parking is the No. 1 complaint she hears from patrons about shopping downtown.

Schwettman runs a clothing store along the stretch of Main Street between Broadway and Independence that will be affected by the construction.

AmerenUE will start at Independence and work its way toward Broadway.

It will replace the iron gas mains with new polyethylene plastic mains as part of a routine upgrading of the system.

The construction will begin today.

"Oh yes, it does affect business," Schwettman said of the construction. "We've got limited parking as it is."

Schwettman said, "We try to tell customers that there are parking lots on both ends, but it doesn't pacify them."

One example, Schwettman said, was that one lady said she came down one day and drove around the block four times.

"She said, 'That's enough, let's go home,'" Schwettman said.

The construction will be done a section at a time to minimize the inconvenience.

Not all of Main Street's business owners or managers shared Schwettman's concern.

Sean Williams, co-owner of Breakaway Billiards and Jessica Robbins, general manager of Willy Jak's, both said they thought their businesses would be fine, considering they're near a large parking lot.

Brenda Voss' business, Dockins Consignment, has parking along Main Street and Spanish, so she doesn't worry too much about it either.

Laura McGinty, co-owner of McGinty Jewelers, said, "We're a little concerned, but this is something that needs to be done."

McGinty said AmerenUE contacted the store and agreed not to do construction in front of the store around Mother's Day, one of the jewelry store's more important dates.

"The utility workers have been great about working with us," McGinty said.

Mike Cleary, a spokesman for AmerenUE, said the company strives to minimize disruption as much as possible.

"Every situation is different, but we recognize the concern and try to do the construction with minimal impact," he said.

bmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127