The Flint Hills Crossing development in west Emporia is into the final stages of pre-development.
The Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission has recommended the development’s final plat bringing Quik Trip to Emporia by a 5-0 vote, subject to approval by the Kansas Department of Transportation, as part of Tuesday’s monthly meeting. City Engineer Jim Ubert says KDOT has been working “concurrently” with the city on this project.
Quik Trip has been planning an Emporia store for several years, but there was a significant period of time between the preliminary plat as recommended in late 2022 and Tuesday’s vote. Much had to do with the Kansas Turnpike Authority’s plan to change from traditional to cashless tolling, including the removal of the Emporia tollgate canopy now underway. Ubert says that process put a lot of attention on a possible intersection stoplight on the north side of the Interstate 35/Kansas Turnpike junction, near a roundabout on the south side of those highways and serving to connect them to US Highway 50 through another roundabout further south. With KDOT concerns about traffic flow for the major highways nearby, including at least some risk of backing up traffic onto I-35, plans developed for a roundabout connecting a new road, Flint Hills, to the existing roundabout and the new Crossing Boulevard, which will run immediately north of Quik Trip to Graphic Arts.
Ubert says final approvals will trigger construction work before year’s end, based on the current schedule.
With the Planning Commission recommendation, Emporia city commissioners are set to look at the plan — and possibly approve it — at their Oct. 2 action meeting.