BLACK EARTH, Wis. -- The owners of some businesses near Highway 14 in Black Earth said the state Department of Transportation failed to give them enough warning about detours and construction, and now that it's beginning, they're pressed for business.

"We usually used to pull in say two to three thousand dollars a week. Now, if we're doing that a month," said business owner Cathy Barman.

Barman said she blames the economy and the summer-long construction project a few miles down the road for the decline in revenue.

"The businesses rely on the drive-by and the summer traffic," said Dana French, of the Black Earth Chamber of Commerce. "There's a very high likelihood many of them are going to close. There isn't going to be a happy ending to this thing."

French said because they weren't given enough notice of the construction, there's little they can do, but put up a few signs.

DOT officials said they're doing what they can. DOT supervisor Jeff Gust said officials are helping community businesses put up signs to alert motorists.

Crews are also trying to finish sooner, officials said.

"We're going to try to shrink the timeframe of the project by offering the contractor monetary incentives for getting the job done faster," said Gust.

Barman said she's warned her employees that it could be rough summer.