Shop owners on Broad Street in downtown Augusta watch fewer customers walk through their doors. Some report drops of 20% or more. Owners have slashed payrolls and now plead for city assistance to keep their doors open. "The construction is one thing, but the biggest problem is the parking, " Weldon said. "It's really a big deal when people start a business — they make a big sacrifice, they take a big risk, and they deserve to be supported," Rayburn said.