Some businesses along Moncton's West Main Street say they are feeling the financial pinch after they missed their peak season due to construction in front of their stores.

The construction season started in the area in mid June and that has caused a decline in visitors to businesses along the stretch of West Main Street.

Brian Pellerin, the owner of Moncton Rust Check and Autopro, has been in the area for 29 years and he has a dismal assessment of the summer.

"This is the worst summer I've ever had in business, the worst summer,” he said.

Pellerin said business is down 25 per cent and that caused him to lay off two employees this summer.

Pellerin said barricades have been blocking his main entrance for more than two months and he's frustrated.

"Every morning I'd come to work and if it was accessible I would move the barricades, so customers could at least get in,” Pellerin said.

The construction is due to sewer upgrades in the area.

Pellerin said the construction workers are finally laying asphalt, which he hopes is a sign that the work will be over soon.

But he said the construction has been a massive problem for his customers.

"You have to drive about three streets up across a couple streets and backup and the side streets are marked road closed. So you have to be really devoted to get here, yeah, it's been terrible,” he said.

Alcide Richard, the senior engineer with the city, said the work is taking longer than expected because of a snag in the plan.

“When we got there the water main wasn't where we thought it was, which meant we had to readjust designs and whatnot which delays things,” Richard said.