ALEXANDRIA, Ky. — Alexandria is moving closer to getting a 122,912-square-foot Kroger Marketplace with a fuel center and an 8,000-square-foot wine and spirits store.
The project represents a $35 million investment on a 31.65-acre site east of US 27. The Alexandria Planning and Zoning Commission met on Sept. 16 to further discuss the Kroger Marketplace’s updated traffic patterns. The planning commission voted five to one to send the approved traffic plan to the Kentucky Department of Transportation for final approval.
Alexandria Planning and Zoning Commissioner Sam Ruebusch voted no, and commissioner Dave Downing was absent.
The Alexandria City Council unanimously approved the project’s zone change on May 1, but in May, Kroger’s zoning consultant, Ann McBride, said Kroger had met with the planning and zoning commission once, and the commission sent them back to work on traffic and signage issues.
The commission approved the Kroger plans on April 1 with conditions. The commissioners stated concerns regarding line-of-sight issues, turning right out of the fuel center, and the proposed monument sign. The commission also discussed possible problems with having one exit from the store.
Due to the proximity to U.S. 27, a detailed review and approval by KYTC was requested. Final approval by KYTC is still pending because they first wanted city input and approval.
The final traffic plan prepared was the result of months of back-and-forth spent by the city engineer and Kroger’s engineer among various Alexandria and Campbell County Planning and Zoning Department staff.
“It is highly complex,” said Campbell County Planning and Zoning Director Cindy Minter. “There’s been a lot of attention this last month. We’ve all been doing double time trying to figure this out for you guys.”
So, what traffic plan is being forwarded to KYTC?
The new Kroger Fuel Center will be a right-in and right-out at the entrance to the fuel station. A right-in, right-out on Commercial Circle South, with the possibility of a left-in as well (as requested by Alexandria Planning and Zoning Chair Nick Reitman. KYTC will be asked to review the idea, but it is not mandatory for the project to move forward.) The existing right-in, right-out in front of the existing Speedway fuel station will close. A full-access traffic signal at Commercial Circle North. A right-in, right-out at the liquor store on U.S. 27, a right-in, right-out at the tree service business on U.S. 27, a right-in, right-out at Spyder Arms, a right-in, left-in, right-out at Lakeside Drive and a right-in, right-out at Fairview Road.
In addition to that, the plans call to widen U.S. 27 to provide a U-turn loon. The loon is proposed to go on the same property as the Kroger Fuel Station.
According to the Federal Highway Department, “a loon is an expanded paved apron opposite a median crossover. The purpose is to provide additional space to facilitate the larger turning path of a commercial vehicle along narrow medians.”
Ruebusch, who voted no at the meeting, said, “That doesn’t look like it makes it better to me; it looks like you’re allowing for maximum ingress and egress of Kroger and ignoring the neighborhoods.”
Any further traffic pattern considerations will not be brought back to the city’s planning and zoning board. KYTC will work on the final design engineering with Kroger’s engineer, and then it will be reviewed by the city’s engineer.
Ruebusch said he didn’t like the idea of restricting people’s movements in that area and felt it would cause traffic to build up. Minter said it would actually alleviate congestion through the implementation of the loon.
“The timing is actually going to decrease with having a loom, as opposed to you’re basically going to be sitting for probably seven to 12 minutes at some of these sites, if you don’t have these options in there,” Minter said.
Alexandria Planning and Zoning Commissioner Tony Webb said he has used traffic looms in other states and found they worked great. Other commission members such as Reitman expressed excitement about the traffic loon.
The new Kroger store will feature a pharmacy drive-through, Starbucks, Murray’s Cheese, a bakery, deli, floral and meat departments and a home goods section.
The city also approved an Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) agreement with Kroger in May, allowing 60% of property tax revenue to go back to the developer for 30 years, while the city keeps 40%. The project is expected to generate $6 million in new taxable wages annually, which could bring Alexandria around $90,000 in payroll tax revenue per year.
Two additional lots on the site are designated for future development, which city officials said during its May council meeting they hope could attract a sit-down restaurant.
This story originally appeared on LINK nky.
