CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- Since it opened in 2007, the South Bay Expressway has made many lives easier and, for some, faster. The expressway has helped reduce traffic and commutes take less time for many drivers.

"Imagine if South Bay Expressway wasn't here. That'd be another 26,000 cars a day clogging up the (Interstate) 805," said South Bay Expressway CEO Greg Hulsizer.

That is 26,000 drivers paying upwards of $4.50 every trip on the expressway, but Hulsizer said there were 13 percent fewer drivers using the toll road the past year.

"Our revenues were down less than one percent, which is a very good result from a business perspective," said Hulsizer.

Hulsizer blamed the 10 percent unemployment rate and a decrease in border crossings.

"But that's pretty much like every business in San Diego, quite honestly," said Hulsizer.

However, some businesses in Chula Vista told 10News the South Bay Expressway is at fault for their poor performance and even closings. They said the toll road was supposed to deliver more paying customers.

Sheena Navaroli, who works at Sport Clips near the expressway, said, "I wanted it to do really well and promote business for us a little bit better but it never … the outcome of it never turned out that way."

Navaroli added customers may be unwilling to pay a hefty toll to drive to her store.

10News spoke with the owners of Gandolfo's Deli a month before the expressway opened. They said they were counting on the toll road to bring them customers. However, Gandolfo's closed a few months later.

"I think actually a lot of businesses out here are disappointed," said Navaroli.

She doesn't lay all the blame on the expressway, as she believes the economy is mostly at fault.

"So when the economy turns around, when the jobs come back, I'm sure our ridership is going to pick up," said Hulsizer.