Angry business owners say disruptive roadworks on Cameron Rd have hit them hard - with one saying he has lost half his customers.
But the council says the essential $60.5m road upgrade - which is two weeks behind schedule - will benefit businesses in the long run.
Work began in September on the first stage of the project. It aims to redesign Cameron Rd to accommodate a wider variety of transport options, such as buses and bikes, and pedestrians too.
Make it Sew owner Graeme Philp decided to move his business to his home and let his lease lapse before the work started.
"I saw what happened in Greerton," he told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, referring to the controversial 2018 redesign of the village's traffic and road layout which drew heavy criticism.
Philp said he did not believe complaining to the council would help.
In his view: "They'd already made up their minds."
Midas Car Repair owner Ash Poudel said half his driveway had been blocked off because of the roadworks.
The blockage was supposed to last a week but it stretched to a month.
"It's bloody crazy," he said. "It's ridiculous. It's affected us quite badly."
He said customers had difficulty navigating the driveway. He had also been unable to get delivery and rubbish trucks into his business.
In his experience: "We've called the council to complain. They just don't ring you back."
Employees at another Cameron Rd business, who did not want to be named, were also critical of the roadworks.
The work outside made their desks shudder and it felt "like an earthquake" inside their store.
However, they said the council had been "very good communicators".
They also praised the workers, who visited every day to check if there were any issues.
"They're very obliging," said one employee. "They've shown a lot of concern."
Many businesses had suffered heavily due to roadworks obstructing parking outside their premises.
Chanel Tucker, a staff member at Vivo Hair Salon, said the lack of parking and traffic congestion often made clients late.
She was hoping the roadworks would be finished sooner rather than later, but said: "It's still a long way to come yet."
Chanel said the council had spoken to the business about the roadworks.
"I don't think we anticipated that it would be this bad."
Micro Computers Ltd owners Gurjeet and Baljit Singh said they had had trouble getting their voices heard.
"[The council] already made their decision," Gurjeet believed.
From their perspective: "We're just a little shop owner. They don't listen."
Gurjeet said a lot of his customers had expressed anger at the lack of parking and inconvenience.
"A lot of people are getting frustrated."
He said he'd seen some people moving the cones and parking anyway.
"When they don't have parking, customers aren't coming," Baljit said. "They find another place."
Blooms on Cameron owner Katie Morris said it was usually a busy time of year but the roadworks had reduced the number of customers.
"Walk-ins have really dropped," she said.
"[The roadworks have] definitely cut down on people coming in."
She was concerned about the flowers she had ordered going to waste if business remained slow.
She said the council sent her regular emails before the roadworks began.
She believed the upgrade could benefit her business.
"It'll depend on the parking. That'll be the thing."
She was grateful her business has online sales to keep them going.
"I feel sorry for businesses that rely solely on walk-ins."
One such business is Lenz Superette, where owner Charan Singh said he had lost 50 per cent of his customers.
He said he had tried hard to get the council's attention but had not had any luck.
"This is the kind of business where we always need a carpark," he said.
The road upgrade would take away his parking spots permanently and replace them with a bus stop, he said.
Charan was considering moving his business as a result.
"We have talked to so many people from the council," he said. "They won't listen."
Council director of transport Brendan Bisley said the growth of Tauranga made the road upgrade essential.
"We need to be smarter and ensure that while we do build new and better connecting roads, we also provide alternatives that allow people to get around by walking, biking, and using public transport."
He said the upgrade would make people less reliant on cars, while also benefiting businesses.
"Population growth in the Te Papa peninsula, plus changes designed to make Cameron Rd easier to move along and across, will make it easier for businesses to attract customers.
"The higher population may also allow new types of businesses to establish and thrive."
Bisley said the roadwork's contractor, Cameron Road Joint Venture, visits businesses regularly to help them where they can.
"Access to businesses has been maintained during construction, and signage has been put up to direct drivers to business carparks.
"The contractor has staff available to assist people getting into and out of the businesses during the construction period."
He said complaints about the works should be responded to within two working days.
The project is behind schedule because of Covid delays, specifically due to supply-chain disruption and Waikato lockdowns keeping workers away, Bisley said.
He anticipated the project would get back on schedule from the new year.
He said the project was within its revised budget - $60.5m - and didn't think it would go over.
The couple spend five months a year in America running their business.