By Emily Mibach
Daily Post Staff Writer
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to hand out money to businesses along Middlefield Road that have suffered losses due to the county’s lane reduction project.
The supervisors on July 11 approved a plan to give the small businesses up to $10,000 in the form of two $5,000 grants given at least 30 days apart. However, some of the businesses said they’ve lost more than $10,000 from the county project.
Erica Hernandez, who was representing the restaurant 7 Mares, said the business may have only two weeks left before it has to shut down.
“We are taking it day by day,” Hernandez said. She said the business is down $40,000 due to the project.
“First it was the pandemic, then it was the storms and now the street. It’s a lot,” said Jose Alvarez, owner of Paleteria Los Mangutios, an ice cream shop.
George Saman of Shawarma Palace told the supervisors that he knows the street will look great once it is complete, but the community needs to stay afloat in the meantime.
He said his restaurant is mostly a catering business now, with business down 90%.
Mariela Peralta of Cuco’s Burritos said she’s had customers say they will come back once the construction is done because there is no parking.
She is hopeful the grant will help the business stay afloat for the next few months until construction is over.
Supervisor Dave Pine said the supervisors had ordered their lunches from Cuco’s the other day.
San Mateo County is reducing the number of traffic lanes from four to two, and creating a center turn lane. The construction is happening between Pacific and Fifth avenues. Construction has been going on since last spring.
The board voted 4-0 with Supervisor Ray Mueller absent to approve both the grants and a program to limit how long people can park on Middlefield Road.
I wonder if these businesses have to sign away their right to sue the county in order to get the money?
insulting offer to people who are losing everything
I drive by this every day. Most of the time, there is little or no construction. It’s just barricades, fences, idle equipment, and bad traffic. It’s been like this for over a year. This would NEVER happen in a wealthy county area, or really anyplace other than North Fair Oaks. The county would be sued for millions. Supervisors would get yelled at during equestrian events and Stanford charity balls before losing their jobs.