Joey Greeve, Topeka, lies down a striping line in the middle of Iowa St. between 27th and 28th Street Tuesday, July 7, 2008. Crews with Asphalt Improvement Co., Lawrence, were repaving southbound lanes on Iowa Street south of 23rd Street Tuesday, July 8, 2008.

Businesses are feeling negative effects from a road repaving project along Iowa Street between 23rd and 31st streets, which entered into a third week Tuesday.

Sales numbers at Old Chicago, 2329 Iowa, have dropped as much as 50 percent during the project, said Mark Beliveau, store manager. The booths at the restaurant were mostly empty late Tuesday morning.

“It’s slowed us down tremendously. We haven’t seen as much traffic come through, obviously, because you can’t get in here as easily,” Beliveau said. “There are a lot of detours away from our business.”

Contractors are shutting down parts of the intersection of 23rd and Iowa during the early-morning hours, and traffic is being rerouted. At other times during the day, traffic is being reduced to one lane in each direction along Iowa Street.

On Tuesday morning, Eugene Ross sat on a counter at Jiffy Lube, 2415 Iowa, and looked at two empty car bays. He said he sent his employees home because of diminished business.

“It’s hurting pretty bad,” said Ross, store manager. “I’ve probably seen a 20 to 30 percent drop-off on cars from what we normally have.”

But, Ross said, the long-term benefits of the project will be worth it. He said Iowa Street was in major need of repair.

The city is encouraging people to find a way around the road work, especially the rest of this week.

The city contractor is on schedule with the project, which is expected to be finished in early August, said Lisa Patterson, city spokeswoman.