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Gas station seeks OK for expansion
By Meagan O’Donnell
A gas station at a major intersection in Gladstone approached the council for permission to create a new driveway and expand the store.
The QuikTrip Corp. wants to purchase property directly behind its store on the corner of Northeast 72nd Street and Missouri Highway 1 for the driveway and expansion projects.
The desired property — west of the QuikTrip property — is a single-family residence and would have to be rezoned as a general business property with permission from the council for the project to move forward.
The first phase would allow an additional entrance and exit to be constructed on the new property 140 feet west of the current drive to alleviate congestion problems that occur at the only existing entrance and exit to the store on Northeast 72nd Street.
Expansion would come later as a second phase.
“It would help alleviate the problems that are there today. We know it’s not going to fix everything, but would make the situation better than it is today,” QuikTrip representative Jeremy Crosby said.
Crosby said this is the best solution right now to the congestion problems at the intersection.
He said a better solution would be a driveway off of Highway 1, but required payments to Missouri Department of Transportation made this suggestion difficult.
Although the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the council approve the rezone for phase one of the project, some council members were not convinced the construction of a new driveway as presented on Sept. 22 was the best solution for the traffic problems.
“My concern is internal congestion. The problem occurs when there is congestion at that drive,” Councilman Les Smith said.
He said with the construction of the new driveway in the proposed location, it could potentially cause drivers to become confused and cause congestion inside the parking lot as well as the street.
“If there is congestion and there’s confusion, do we not run a greater risk of cars stacking up into 72nd Street and the old drive? That’s my concern,” he said.
Concern was not only expressed by council members.
Some residents from neighborhoods in the immediate area were unhappy with the rezone and expansion proposal.
The property to be rezoned has trees that would be removed to construct the new driveway. Residents said removal of the trees would allow the gas station to be visible. Others were worried the additional driveway would push traffic closer to their homes while not offering a good solution to the existing problem caused by cars that take alternate routes through neighborhood streets.
Council planned to discuss the project again at its next meeting Monday, Oct. 13, after discussions with the property owner had taken place to reexamine the proposal.
Staff writer Meagan O’Donnell can be reached at 389-6606 or meaganodonnell@npgco.com.
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The QuikTrip Corp. wants to purchase property directly behind its store on the corner of Northeast 72nd Street and Missouri Highway 1 for the driveway and expansion projects.
The desired property — west of the QuikTrip property — is a single-family residence and would have to be rezoned as a general business property with permission from the council for the project to move forward.
The first phase would allow an additional entrance and exit to be constructed on the new property 140 feet west of the current drive to alleviate congestion problems that occur at the only existing entrance and exit to the store on Northeast 72nd Street.
Expansion would come later as a second phase.
“It would help alleviate the problems that are there today. We know it’s not going to fix everything, but would make the situation better than it is today,” QuikTrip representative Jeremy Crosby said.
Crosby said this is the best solution right now to the congestion problems at the intersection.
He said a better solution would be a driveway off of Highway 1, but required payments to Missouri Department of Transportation made this suggestion difficult.
Although the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the council approve the rezone for phase one of the project, some council members were not convinced the construction of a new driveway as presented on Sept. 22 was the best solution for the traffic problems.
“My concern is internal congestion. The problem occurs when there is congestion at that drive,” Councilman Les Smith said.
He said with the construction of the new driveway in the proposed location, it could potentially cause drivers to become confused and cause congestion inside the parking lot as well as the street.
“If there is congestion and there’s confusion, do we not run a greater risk of cars stacking up into 72nd Street and the old drive? That’s my concern,” he said.
Concern was not only expressed by council members.
Some residents from neighborhoods in the immediate area were unhappy with the rezone and expansion proposal.
The property to be rezoned has trees that would be removed to construct the new driveway. Residents said removal of the trees would allow the gas station to be visible. Others were worried the additional driveway would push traffic closer to their homes while not offering a good solution to the existing problem caused by cars that take alternate routes through neighborhood streets.
Council planned to discuss the project again at its next meeting Monday, Oct. 13, after discussions with the property owner had taken place to reexamine the proposal.
Staff writer Meagan O’Donnell can be reached at 389-6606 or meaganodonnell@npgco.com.