One month down, six more to go.

April Fool’s Day marked the end of the first month of construction on the SE Pioneer Way improvement project, the seven-month endeavor to revitalize the historic downtown shopping district and convert the street into an eastbound one-way.

While there is still a long way to go, city officials couldn’t be happier if things continue to go as well as they have. According to Oak Harbor project manager Joe Stowell, Strider Construction has managed to not only deliver on a promise of quality work but stay ahead of schedule as well.

So far, the contractor has pulverized the entire roadway between City Beach and SE Dock streets, replaced side and main sewer lines, installed storm drains, and worked on water lines in various sections between the two streets.

In some cases, Strider has completed tasks faster than planned. While impressive, there is still a lot of work to be done and it’s too soon to know if the contractor will finish the project ahead of schedule.

“It’s still way too soon to know,” Stowell said.

Major construction is scheduled for completion on Sept. 2 but finishing work could continue as late as October.

Overall, downtown merchants also seem pleased with the way the project is unfolding. Many have extended their compliments toward the contractor in both competency and workers’ general friendliness to the public. Several said they have seen workers stop what they are doing and personally walk elderly pedestrians across the muddy street.

“The hospitality is nice. I like it,” said Al Collantes, owner of Angelo’s Caffe.

As for the impact on business, it appears to vary by type. Collantes and other retail and food-based business owners say they’ve seen a drop of between 35 and 55 percent, while those with service-type businesses are reporting no drop at all.

There have also been claims that some merchants have seen a spike in sales over what they earned during the same month in 2010 but none of those reports could be confirmed.

Jason Berg, owner of the Shred Shed, estimated that foot traffic passing by his front door has fallen about 35 percent. That hasn’t translated to a loss in sales, however. Revenue-wise, he said business has stayed the same despite the month of roadwork.

“For a downtown project, it’s not bad at all,” Berg said. “It’s definitely a disruption, though.”

The heavy equipment, piles of dirt and massive holes have turned Pioneer Way into what he said is reminiscent of a “war zone.”

“It’s a mess,” Berg said. “There is no other way to say it.”

NorthWest Cabinets showroom manager Jim Longworth said he hasn’t seen a drop in sales but that some of his customers have had problems finding parking. Although he addressed the issue by traveling to them, he said he wished the city would put up better signs to direct traffic.

“You’d think they’d have huge signs all over the place,” Longworth said.

Lesley McConnell, the city’s hired communications specialist for the project, said the problem is being addressed. She is currently working on a color-coded map that will be distributed through a range of media, including utility bills, that should mark parking and how to get to it much more clearly.

Another complaint that seems to have become more common among merchants concerns the “Wall of Shame,” a vacant storefront with windows covered in messages protesting the one-way road project. The issue was brought up at a recent Downtown Merchant’s Association meeting when several business owners asked building owner Frank Scelzi when they would come down.

In an interview, Scelzi said he didn’t know. While he said he’s been approached by three people to take them down, many more have voiced support and want him to leave them up.

“I’ve got 20 people saying don’t you dare take those signs down or I’ll never talk to you again,” he said.

Scelzi resigned his position as president of the merchants group during the same meeting but claims it was unrelated to the concerns broached by merchants. He said he’d been planning to step down for some time and plans to have a more limited role in the association and focus more on helping his tenants.

“I just can’t be positive about something that’s clearly wrong for our community,” Scelzi said.

The association held another meeting this week and elected Ron Apgar, an owner of Paint Your World, as the group’s new president along with several of other board members.