Increased Christmas Traffic Makes It's Way to Evansville's East Side

The Christmas season is officially here and many are making their way to one of Evansville's popular shopping spots, Greenriver Road.  The east side is home to several shopping spots, but with the increase in shoppers comes an increase in traffic.  Some frustrated drivers say cars and Christmas spirit just do not mix.  People make their way to Evansville every year to do their Christmas shopping. With all the variety Greenriver Road has to offer, it quickly becomes a major hot spot for shoppers. With all the added traffic some say the most wonderful time of the year is becoming the most dangerous.
Bumper to bumper traffic, stop lights, and drivers everywhere looking for the best Christmas buy, can all be found this time of year on Evansville's Greenriver Road.  With the increase in traffic one might expect an increase in business, but Angels in the Attic owner Jeanne McCormick says that's not the case.  "Here its not good right now. You'd think it would be very busy but we're on south Greenriver and people cant get to us." McCormick says the problem is not her store's location, its this time of year and the traffic that comes along with it.  "I think they're frustrated because they're stuck in their car and they don't want to stop again. They just want to get home. I've had people say we saw your place, we came by, but we just didn't want to stop. Their afraid if they pull in the driveway they may not be able to get back out."
Though the increased traffic  makes it hard for shoppers to get where they need, employees are having the same problem.  "I even live on  north Greenriver and just trying to get to work I've got to take the back roads. I avoid it like the plague and i go totally out of my way." East side employee Kenny Douglass says,"When its busy like this, I always go the back ways. Working on a really busy street doesn't help at all. Im on my break right now. I always walk to wherever I go to get food just because i don't want to be late for my break."
With all the hustle and bustle, the holiday season can be a dangerous one.  "Really driving is what ruins the Christmas spirit because everyone is in a hurry. It gets even more dangerous than what it already is. You see wreaks all the time."  McCormick says, "It's gotten so fast paced nobody has patience."  
Despite the chaos, these east side employers have found their own way to keep the Christmas spirit. "Shop online or do it early," says Douglass. "Slow down, keep your distance, take your time, leave early, and you're going to get there."  Though the Christmas shopping rush is on, Evansville drivers are reminded to stay safe this holiday season as traffic will continue to increase.