The State Highway 495 underpass in Pharr will close on Friday night to allow crews to build the new Harlingen to Edinburg connector at the Pharr Interchange.

Jonathan Hernandez, owner of the mechanic shop Luis Muffler, said he worries what the closure will mean for his family's business.

“The customers will say they are frustrated with the construction,” Hernandez said.

Luis Muffler is located right off of State Highway 495 in Pharr.

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Hernandez says the customer flow dropped by more than half in the last couple of years, and he believes the current construction is to blame.

“On average, we were seeing like 30 or 40 people a day,” Hernandez recalled. “Now we are seeing like maybe 15, 10 sometimes.”

Hernandez says he is bracing for another drop in business with the upcoming closure of the SH 495 underpass.

The Texas Department of Transportation says the closure is needed to finish construction of the new Harlingen to Edinburg connector.

“The I2-I69C Interchange Project is a $303 million project that includes replacing all four connectors, two wider two lane connectors, and also the widening of I2 between McAllen," TxDOT spokesman Ray Pedraza said.

The underpass closure will last several months.

Hernandez said he hopes the work goes by quickly.

“I think once it is built, it's going to be way better,” Hernandez said.