Proposed Wellsville truck stop raises safety concerns


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WELLSVILLE, Cache County — A simmering two-year battle over a proposed truck stop in Cache County intensifies tomorrow as neighbors take their concerns to the Wellsville City Council.

The All-American Truck Stop would give the community an economic shot in the arm, but neighbors say the location is just too dangerous.

According to a traffic impact study, more than 20,000 vehicles pass by where it would be built each day. It's good business for a truck stop, but families who live in both directions say it's a bad idea for safety, and the study prepared for Wellsville supports those concerns.

Katie Christensen can see the proposed location for the truck stop from her front yard.

"Lives are at stake,” she said. “There's a lot at risk here.”

The empty lot is zoned for commercial use, so Christensen knows businesses will be built there eventually. She says traffic is already a struggle at the intersection.

"We're not going to get in and out of the subdivision without something bad happening. As a mom, that scares me," she said.

According to the study, the truck stop would increase traffic at the intersection more than six times. If UDOT puts in a signal, the study states traffic flow would get a "C" as a grade.

"If they don't choose to signalize it, the intersection is going to be projected at a level of service 'F',” Christensen said.

UDOT's criteria would not allow a traffic signal.

A Wellsville Planning Commission member said they approved the concept last week based on 22 conditions, including UDOT approval of traffic flow and how emissions from the trucks will be managed.

Bob Bolton, who also lives nearby, appealed the decision made by the planning commission.

"This concerns the entire valley because the entire valley uses this corridor to get in and out," he said.

Bolton said when adding the potential for bad weather on the road, limited sight distance for the intersection, extra traffic “and then people along the highway doing 60 to 70 mph, if that is not a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is.”

Planning commission member Ruth Maughan said the proposal would not get full approval until all of their conditions are met. She said the issue might very well be back on the agenda next week.

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Jed Boal

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