Planning & Zoning Gives Thumbs Up to Walmart Neighborhood Market

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Walmart is one step closer to building another neighborhood market in Springfield.

Thursday night, the company presented revised plans for a new store to the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission. Members voted 5-2 to recommend the plans to City Council.

The company wants to build the market near the corner of Grand St. and Campbell Ave. -- where a church currently sits. In December, the planning commission rejected Walmart's first bid because of traffic concerns in the neighborhood.

Walmart returned with an amended plan to install concrete islands on Normal Street, to help control excess traffic.

Read the planning proposal here

The preferred option (A) would add a raised concrete island in the center of Normal, west of the proposed Walmart entrance onto the street. The concrete island would be placed on top of the existing concrete pavement on Normal.  It would be six inches tall and be constructed of stamped red concrete. 

A mountable curb on the east and west side of the island would allow emergency vehicles to traverse over the island if necessary.  The proposal also includes three pipe bollards placed on the west side of the island to prevent non-emergency vehicles from driving over the island. 

At least one of the pipe bollards will be on a locked hinge.  Other elements included providing the Fire Department with a key to the lock so they will be able to drop the bollard if necessary. The concrete island would be constructed three feet away from the curb, with gutter on each side of Normal to permit bicycle traffic to access each side of street.

"I feel like Walmart would be an advantage, or a grocery store, would be an advantage to our area," said one resident. "The church is in sad shape and is a sore to everyone's eye."

"My concern is for their safety," added another resident. "I really feel that the added traffic, no matter how you slice it, will put children at risk."

It's now up to Springfield City Council to decide next month whether the project should move forward.

This would be the fifth such market in Springfield. The others are located at 3150 W. Republic Rd., 1320 S. Glenstone Ave., 3536 W. Mount Vernon St., and El Camino Alto Drive, near the intersection of James River Expressway and Campbell Avenue.