Wal-Mart Modifies Size of Supercenter

submitted by Tom Linehan

In Saturday's Austin American-Statesman, there was an article about Wal-Mart's Letter to the City stating it is willing to reduce the size of the planned Supercenter for Northcross from 219,000 sq ft to 186,500 sq ft. (191,000 including the garden center). See Wal-Mart will reduce size of Northcross store, by Sarah Coppola.

According to the article, RG4N has already said the change in size won't make a difference on the impact it will have on traffic. By making the Supercenter come in under 200,000 sq ft, the City of

Austin will not require Wal-Mart to apply the higher traffic estimates that a Supercenter of that size is estimated to generate. This is not a perfect science. The traffic counts collected by COA staff at other Austin Wal-Mart stores clearly demonstrate that the traffic estimates from the Institute
of Transportation Engineers vastly underestimate the amount of traffic generated by supercenters. A new traffic analysis will be submitted by Lincoln to the City by mid-June.

Allandale's position on the development has been concern for the impact the Supercenter will have on the traffic and intersections on Burnet and Anderson roads as well as its impact on neighborhood streets. To date its impact on neighborhood streets has not been included in any analysis. Additionally, Allandale is concerned about the impact the Supercenter will have on local businesses and the character of the neighborhood.

Comments

[DebDeb]

Remember... there is also a 200,000+ square foot parking structure... in addition to the supercenter and garden center. By the way, the garden center's approval was brought up at the city council meeting as something that should require a NEW site plan. But the council turned a deaf ear.

[DebDeb]

Remember... there is also a 200,000+ square foot parking structure... in addition to the supercenter and garden center. By the way, the garden center's approval was brought up at the city council meeting as something that would should required a NEW site plan. But the council turned a deaf ear.

[Greg Dickenson]

I don't think that the size reduction is a good faith attempt to address neighborhood concerns. Wal-Mart made the size reduction so that they would not have to do a new traffic analysis. Does anyone really think that a 186,000 sq ft store will not create traffic problems?

The reduction in store hours is likewise unconvincing; they could make it 24 hours whenever they want. I think we should continue to strongly oppose Wal-Mart in our neighborhood!