A potential travel plaza in west Emporia is moving forward.
The Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend a preliminary plat for Brown Stone 3 Development’s idea for a travel plaza near the south roundabout connecting US Highway 50 to Interstate 35 and the Kansas Turnpike.
Preliminary plats follow different land studies and let developers move towards a final plat and ultimate approval. City Zoning Specialist Joe Foster says the over 30 acres in question haven’t been platted before, and there have been some concerns about underground utility locations, access to the south side of the roundabout and the nearby floodplain.
Board member Larry Bucklinger focused on the roundabout access.
Dirt work began around the first of the year. Doug Hutchinson, representing Red Brick Investments, the company proposing the plat, is hoping for above-ground development by summertime if not sooner. The permitting process for water and sanitary sewer lines, as well as some underground utility movement, is needed before above-ground work can start.
Plans for the travel plaza have included several nationally-known restaurants and hotels, an RV park, pool and strip mall as part of a $35 million to $40 million project that would create at least 100 jobs if initial plans come together. The original timetable had the project opening late this year, but coronavirus has helped to slow down the initial stages. The city has also required a feasibility study so it can look at potential impacts on other developments serving the trucking industry, like the longstanding Flying J truck stop nearby.
