TOPEKA (KSNT) – Topeka residents and business owners are arguing against plans to install a big truck stop near a local park as city leaders push forward with the idea.
Topeka city leaders are discussing the creation of a new truck stop at 605 Southwest Fairlawn Road on the spot of the old ‘Holidome‘ Ramada West Hotel that closed in 2017. The City of Topeka Planning Commission approved of a rezoning proposal in a unanimous vote to allow for the construction of a fueling station back in May.
The Topeka City Council is currently slated to revisit the topic on Tuesday, July 1 with an ordinance that, if approved, would allow for additional space to accommodate fueling activities and a convenience store on the site. While the project would transform a vacant lot into a new fueling station and convenience store with some dining options, some people aren’t happy about the proposal.
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Kevin Dobelbower, a local resident, is displeased with the proposal to bring the fueling station to the area. He said he doesn’t live too far from the old Holidome location and is worried the plans for the new station are moving forward too quickly.
“From what I feel now, I feel as if the council has already reached their decisions,” Dobelbower said.
Dobelbower isn’t alone in voicing concerns about the plan. Bill Welch, president and broker with Performance Realty in Topeka, is also condemning the possible new truck stop and said that plans for it are being rushed.
“I think it’s a very bad move,” Welch said. “There’s a lot of people on Nextdoor and other places that are pretty up in arms about this.”
A Neighborhood Information Meeting was held for the new truck stop on Monday, April 28 at the Hyatt Place in Topeka where people were allowed to express concerns on the topic. The Topeka City Council received some recommendations following this meeting such as the possible installation of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Southwest Seventh Street and Southwest Fairlawn Road to ease the burden of additional traffic in the area.
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Multiple business owners near the proposed project site also sent in a letter to the Topeka City Council ahead of the July 1 meeting. The six business owners lay out the issues they have with the new fueling station in the letter, including how it would impact local traffic on Seventh Street.
“Even with the proposed widening, 7th Street will not safely support the simultaneous use of multiple large vehicles (which have large blind spot and long stopping distances) or a mix of large and smaller vehicles. One side of the street lacks a sidewalk, forcing pedestrians, including students from the nearby middle school to walk dangerously close to moving traffic or cross paths with large vehicles to reach the safer, side walk accessible side of the street.”
Joint letter submitted to the Topeka City Council excerpt
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The group of business owners said they are not opposed to the installment of a new gas station, but ask the Topeka City Council and the selected company to redesign the site layout to accommodate large vehicles within its own lot. The business owners, alongside local residents like Dobelbower, are also concerned with the other impacts that come with the addition of a new fueling station such as increased traffic congestion and quality of life changes.
“We’re definitely not against businesses going in, but in my case anything but a truck stop,” Dobelbower said. “Just imagine, trucks in and out of that area… what a quagmire that would be.”
Welch raised similar concerns, saying the area is already prone to becoming congested with traffic due to the nearby Landon Middle School. He said he thinks a better plan would be to install the truck stop in a different part of the city.
“Add a bunch of 18-wheelers coming through there will make it a nightmare for people coming through that area,” Welch said.
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Both Dobelbower and Welch said the new truck stop may also spoil the nearby park areas north of I-70. Welch said there is already a lot of noise in the area coming from the highway and the new truck stop would only be adding onto that for people living nearby or those who are trying to enjoy MacLennan Park.
“I think my major reasoning for not having it [the truck stop] is mainly aesthetic, I think,” Dobelbower said. “Here, you’ve got probably one of the most picturesque and beautiful places in Topeka. Now the city council wants to pollute that with 18-wheelers? It’s like taking a dump at Sixth and Fairlawn. Anything but a truck stop.”
Dobelbower said he plans to attend and try to speak at the July 1 Topeka City Council meeting about the new fueling station. He said he will continue to raise awareness about this topic in the meantime.
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