Even with July 4th a few days away, business is slower than normal at Flags International on McKinley Highway in Osceola. General manager David Aker says that’s because of the construction about a mile away.

"Part of me is happy that construction is going on. It means we're moving forward. We're improving infrastructure with the roads," Aker says. "But then it's also hard because you've got customers this week, and even businesses, trying to get to us and they're not sure if they can find us or how to get to us when the construction’s out there."

Peter Shidler was one of those customers wanting a new flag for the holiday. He called ahead to ask what roads to take.

"You just have to deal with it," Shidler says with an optimistic twist.

Construction along McKinley from Bittersweet to Birch started the middle of June. The goal is to widen the road from two to five lanes. McKinley is scheduled to open back up on September 4th. In St. Joseph County, almost 80 miles worth of roads are under some kind of construction.

One of those stretches is right in front of Gary Probst’s home.

"Yeah, I've got the good seat alright," Probst says. "The road that they've built for us is constantly changing. You don't know from one day to the next how to get out of my driveway. When they start pouring concrete, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm going to have...I don't what I'm going to do."

Buses with summer school students continue to adjust to the roadwork. Many of the projects will still be going on when school starts back up in August. Some parents of kids in the PHM District can expect letters or phone calls with a new pick-up location and time.

"We have to redraft the routes, create detours, notify parents, notify students, alternate pick ups,” says PHM Transportation Director Henry Lohnewyer. “It becomes very labor intensive process."