Archive for Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Wal-Mart nearly ready to build city’s new store

City Commission tonight expected to approve roadwork related to project

Wheat grows in an otherwise empty field at the northwestern corner of Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive that is the site of a planned Wal-Mart store. The city has granted a building permit to the retailer, and construction is expected to begin soon. "We're looking at a grand opening of around mid-to-late spring of 2009," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Angie Stoner said.

Wheat grows in an otherwise empty field at the northwestern corner of Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive that is the site of a planned Wal-Mart store. The city has granted a building permit to the retailer, and construction is expected to begin soon. "We're looking at a grand opening of around mid-to-late spring of 2009," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Angie Stoner said.

May 13, 2008

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Construction for new Wal-Mart to begin soon

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The corner of 6th and Wakarusa should soon become busy as construction crews begin work on the new Wal-Mart. Enlarge video

New traffic light may be headed for 6th and Congressional Dr.

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City crews will also be busy at work, just to the West of 6th and Wakarusa. Enlarge video

It will be the summer of Wal-Mart.

Leaders with the world's largest retailer have been granted a city building permit to begin construction on its $9.5 million store at the northwestern corner of Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive.

"We're hoping to start construction very soon," said Angie Stoner, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman. "We're looking at a grand opening of around mid-to-late spring of 2009."

The project also will have road crews busy. City commissioners at their meeting this evening are expected to give necessary approvals to move ahead on installing a traffic signal at the intersection of Sixth Street and Congressional Drive.

The intersection will be the main entrance for the Wal-Mart, and commissioners conditioned the store's approval on a stoplight being installed in the area.

The project also will include a "traffic calming island" that will be built on Congressional Drive south of Sixth Street. The median-like device will be about 30 feet long and feature landscaping. The median will begin just south of where Congressional Drive and Congressional Circle meet.

"What it is supposed to do is tell people that they're moving from a commercial area to a residential area, and they need to slow down," said Chuck Soules, city director of public works.

Ultimately, city leaders are hoping the traffic calming island - which will be similar to one on Folks Road just south of Sixth Street - will reduce the amount of cut-through traffic generated by the commercial development. The main impact of the island is that it will reduce the width of the lanes on Congressional from about 15 feet to 11 feet, Soules said.

"Narrower lanes usually cause people to slow down," Soules said.

The project - the stoplight and traffic calming island - is expected to cost about $330,000.

Wal-Mart and other property owners surrounding the intersection will split the costs, with Wal-Mart and its related development paying the majority share. No city money will be used.

The traffic signal is expected to be completed by the end of the year. A design for the traffic calming island still must be finalized and presented to neighbors. Construction work on the island likely will not begin until summer 2009.

The Wal-Mart store - which will be about half the size of a Supercenter but will include a grocery department - is the largest construction project to pull a permit in the city this year.

Omaha-based Oakview Construction is the general contractor, but Stoner said she expected some local contractors would be hired as project subcontractors.

City commissioners meet at 6:35 tonight at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.

Comments

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  1. justforfun (anonymous) says…

    Thank goodness Walmart is being built!!! I'ts about time!!! Whew! I can save some gas money by not having to drive clear accross town.

  2. situveux1 (anonymous) says…

    Oh boy a Wal-Mart story! I can't wait to read the Wally-World hater comments!

  3. Raphael (anonymous) says…

    Well, thanks to all those folks who TRIED to stop this unwelcomed retail monster chain from getting into our neighborhood. It will be a sad day when those doors open.

  4. jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…

    Hooray! And all you whiners put a lid on it. Its over, so move on! WalMart won fair and square. (Can't wait for the reactions to that comment)

  5. just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…

    "WalMart won fair and square."Yep, they pulled out their wallet and bought yet another fair and square victory.But the cheap crap that you can already get just a few miles a way isn't going to be so cheap as the US dollar continues to tank.

  6. DaREEKKU (anonymous) says…

    This town is completely hypocritical. Maybe if both sides pulled their head out of their backside once every five years and came back to reality we could move on to more important issues.

  7. monkeyhawk (anonymous) says…

    I wonder if boozo is willing to stand in front of the dozers? I doubt it, all show, no go. At any rate, I love the smell of blood boiling in the morning.

  8. Andini (anonymous) says…

    Woohoo! I can't wait 'til I can go buy underwear, 30 weight oil and the latest Garth Brooks cd all in one place!

  9. BuddhaDude (anonymous) says…

    Hurray for more stoplights. Hopefully they will go all the way down Wakarusa and replace the 4-way stop signs. 4-way stops on roads with multiple lanes is stupid.

  10. LeonTrotsky (anonymous) says…

    I am with the first guy. Why is the actual corner where the Great-Wal will be virtually omitted from the photo? Is there actually any wheat being grown in the NW quadrant of the intersection? I think there are just some trees that'll need bulldozin' and grass. Hail the Great-Wal!Savings for all! Servitude for all! Wal for all!

  11. gr (anonymous) says…

    "A design for the traffic calming island still must be finalized and presented to neighbors."Does this mean that people will be voting/voicing on something that someone else will have to personally pay for? Something that "usually cause people to slow down"? "The project - the stoplight and traffic calming island - is expected to cost about $330,000."I don't know how much the stoplight costs, but the portion for the "calming island", which they are "hoping" and will "usually" slow people down - is that a reasonable amount for the "benefit" given?

  12. 3crookedhearts (anonymous) says…

    Here's hoping this Wal-Mart will keep the neo-con Westies away from our side of town. Thank you Wal-Mart, thank you for keeping the suburbanites where they belong!

  13. Horace (anonymous) says…

    I noticed that First Management is busy destroying the greenspace between Folks and Wakarusa on 6th.

  14. Take_a_letter_Maria (anonymous) says…

    Horace (Anonymous) says: I noticed that First Management is busy destroying the greenspace between Folks and Wakarusa on 6th.-------------------------------------------------------------------------If that's the case it is just as the contractor because that development is someone else's.

  15. wysiwyg69 (anonymous) says…

    I that hope all of you stupid morons end of working for min. wage at walmart because its sooooo much cheaper to buy their lead lead filled toys and other high quality crap. Try living within your earnings. walmart sucks no matter how you paint it

  16. supercowbellninja (anonymous) says…

    I for one cannot wait to buy my new editions of the "Left Behind" novels by Tim LaHaye and the latest Kirk Cameron inspirational gospel videos.That, and lots of XXXL sweatpants.Man, I hate WalMart.

  17. lunatic (anonymous) says…

    Build it fast and start paying taxes. The property tax alone is $275,000/year

  18. dirkleisure (anonymous) says…

    How long until there are 4 stoplights on 6th Street between Wakarusa and K-10?In civilized communities, the maximum number of lights should be every 1/2 mile, and that's pushing it. But in Lawrence, well just look at Clinton Parkway - the number of lights on that road is obscene.All it takes is one accident in this town and somebody is putting up a stoplight. The stoplight at 6th and Folks is already ridiculous overkill, pretty soon there will be 6 more within a mile of that road.If you don't want residential streets to be used by commercial traffic, then don't facilitate access to them by putting up stoplights.

  19. gr (anonymous) says…

    "because its sooooo much cheaper to buy their lead lead filled toys and other high quality crap. Try living within your earnings."Exactly what are you saying....-----------"All it takes is one accident in this town and somebody is putting up a stoplight. The stoplight at 6th and Folks is already ridiculous overkill, pretty soon there will be 6 more within a mile of that road."If the city wants to jump on the global alarmist bandwagon, it should be mandatory that all stoplights be minimal and synchronized. Otherwise the city is contributing to global warming.

  20. cheeseburger (anonymous) says…

    KSA and Dirk-You're right on with your posts. We're going to end up with another debacle out there just like the one on 31st between Ousdahl and Nieder. I'd like to find who the city staffer is who has, as their goal, a stoplight at every intersection in town, and who is hell-bent on slowing and congesting traffic as much as possible, instead of finding ways for it to flow smoothly. I cannot belive the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices suggests such restrictive controls on traffic.

  21. Ceallach (anonymous) says…

    Wasn't it the city commission that started the problem when they tried to renege on an original approval? or am I misremembering?

  22. just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…

    "Wasn't it the city commission that started the problem when they tried to renege on an original approval?"An approval that violated the city planning document, H2020.

  23. Haiku_Cuckoo (anonymous) says…

    I don't like WalMart, but I can understand how it may be a necessary option for old people on a fixed income as well as families who have been hurt by our failing economy. I don't want to see those people struggle any more than they already are.

  24. KS (anonymous) says…

    KSA_21_3503 - You said it right. Why do we need another traffic light just a short distance from a major intersection. Just another spot to stop and burn up $3.50 + per gallon gasoline. Every city seems to try to slow down or "calm": traffic rather than make it move. In Germany I saw what appeared to be a traffic light just a few yards beyond a stop/go light controlled intersection. The lights would show 10 or 20 or 30. Whichever light was lit would indicate the speed (in kilometers) as to how fast one should drive to make the next light green. Very simple idea. Almost as good as a round about.Back to Wal-Mart....if they have a grocery department, you can kiss Dillon's goodbye. Of course, Dillon's brought that on themselves with their two price system.

  25. acg (anonymous) says…

    Dillons developed their two price system to keep in competition with other major grocery chains that were offering the same program (like the chopper shopper card). I also despise wal-mart. I understand their crap is cheap but it's cheap for a reason. Can you folks really justify what buying that crap does to our economy? Are your xxxl sweat pants at 2 for $10 really worth it? The last time I went to wal-mart (which was many, many moons ago as I personally think that all wal-marts should be bulldozed immediately) it was like someone let loose a gaggle of trailer park losers in there. I've never seen that many mullets and chained wallets since my father forced me to attend a tractor pull when I was a teenager. Lordy! Well, on 2nd though, no lets keep the wal-mart open. Those of you that are interested in getting your sweat pants, motor oil and a gallon of perfume on sale for $1.99 obviously need a place to shop.

  26. jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…

    This is great! More please more comments from the whiners!

  27. HootyWho (anonymous) says…

    I knew from the start of it all that walmart would win approval for their store, kinda like death and taxes. i'm not a walmart shopper, but i have been there. Dillons won't close if all the Walmart opposers will keep shopping Dillons.

  28. acg (anonymous) says…

    What you call whiners, catfish, the rest of us might call people that are generally concerned about the economic condition of this nation. But whatever, I'm sure you're more concerned with being able to purchase Hannah Montana cd's and tackle in the same store, aren't you?

  29. dirkleisure (anonymous) says…

    The Dillons at 6th and Wakarusa serves more single need shoppers than full cart shoppers as is.I wouldn't be surprised if most of their business comes from people picking up 10 items or less. That business won't be going to Wal Mart.However, it would be helpful if the city would put up a stoplight on Wakarusa between the Dillon's shopping area and the shopping area to the west. There should also be a stoplight on 6th Street for the Dillon's lot, maybe two.

  30. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    acg (Anonymous) says: The last time I went to wal-mart (which was many, many moons ago as I personally think that all wal-marts should be bulldozed immediately) it was like someone let loose a gaggle of trailer park losers in there. *****************************No, you haven't ever been to Wal-Mart, you are just a brain-washed tool of the hateful left. Everyone shops at Wal-Mart except potheads like you. In fact, rich people tend to buy the bulk generic stuff from Sam's Club and Wal-Mart. There's a reason why they have money: because they're frugal.

  31. royalpain (anonymous) says…

    I had no idea there were so many traffic engineers posting on this board! There are several requirements that must be met in order for a traffic light to be installed. Trust me - the studies are done for each and every location that has a traffic light. If the requirements aren't met - the light won't be installed. It's that simple. Stick to posting about topics you are familiar with.

  32. EXks (anonymous) says…

    Chinese factory workers and their commie guvment love WalMart!!

  33. Marcus (anonymous) says…

    By saving you money, Wal-Mart allows people to donate more money to their favorite charity. Think of all the good things YOU can do with the money Wal-Mart saves you!

  34. coolmarv (anonymous) says…

    acg (Anonymous) says: What you call whiners, catfish, the rest of us might call people that are generally concerned about the economic condition of this nation. But whatever, I'm sure you're more concerned with being able to purchase Hannah Montana cd's and tackle in the same store, aren't you?Okay then. Where am I supposed to buy my Hannah Montana CD and Tackle?

  35. Ceallach (anonymous) says…

    Taking shots at Wal-Mart is understandable. But the elitism blatantly obvious in posters who are reducing themselves to making such hateful attacks on people who shop there is truly ugly. Many of those you are trashing are hard working people, often living from paycheck to paycheck and do not need additional degrading because they shop at Wal-Mart. Give them a break . . . pretend they are trees, thereby deserving of your compassion.

  36. planetwax (anonymous) says…

    Take a look at this site:http://www.nlcnet.org/index.phpand see how Wal-Mart manages to offer you and I such LOW (too low) prices. There is a human and environmental cost. I will never step into a Wal-Mart again and I am actively avoiding many box stores for the same criminal activities that are being exposed by sites such as the National Labor Committee. If you think sweatshops are ok, then go ahead and shop at Wal-Mart and buy your name-brand items. Ignorance is bliss for you, but not for those on the other side of the globe.

  37. darkagentzulu (anonymous) says…

    I feel bad for the 6 people that work at that litttle dillions. I guess we'll see if thier robot cash registers will hold out against the one old guy on a leash that says hi for 5.15 an hour and the other 500 hundred people that will be initially hired as part time slaves. We could really use a Target out here, but we do not have enough apartment complexes for their slave population. Doug Compton really needs to get on the ball with that global real estate take over thing.

  38. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    duplenty (Anonymous) says: Lots and lots and lots of unfortunate NASCAR types in there, many of whom seem to be corpulently obese (must be those bulk items).***************************Again, you are just a tool. You've never been to a NASCAR race if you think there is a "type" of person that enjoys that sport. They only people that don't shop at Wal-Mart are potheads like you. Can you please take a shower and wash your clothes BTW?

  39. Eride (anonymous) says…

    "And, while I'm at it, what the h is with the stop signs on Wakarusa at Inverness AND at Harvard? It is a 4-lane road for Pete's sake. 4-Way stops are entirely inappropriate for those types of intersections."I agree, those stop signs are asinine!

  40. cheeseburger (anonymous) says…

    royalpain-Since you apparently are a traffic engineer, please cite in the MUTCD where it suggests creating major intersections and erecting so many signals in a short span of roadway. I think you'll find that it doesn't.The traffic flow in this town is designed to slow and constrict traffic, not to move it effectively and efficiently. After all, when was the last time you heard conversation relative to moving traffic in Lawrence? You don't - it's always about how to 'calm' it, restrict it, and slow it - speed bumps, speed humps, narrower lanes, islands, ill-timed lights, etc.

  41. livingstone (anonymous) says…

    To Walmart Haters, Walmart represents the new way of Globalization that American companies must adopt to compete. Guess which companies can actually dominate emerging markets? Walmart and GM, both are hated by Americans but they dominated foreign markets, which is what we want. GM is now the best selling cars in China (ok, stop hating them because they are emitting carbons), and Walmart is opening up in China like Mushrooms. Hate it or not, they're the models to reverse the negative trade balance.

  42. welch (Matthew Welch) says…

    Im glad to see they are taking care of the neighborhood south of 6th, but what about the neighbor hoods behind this new Walmart. I sure am glad, when I look out my window, I will see traffic and the garbage that is the back of Walmarts.

  43. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    Ohh, you don't like it when you're portrayed in a sweeping negative generalization do you duplenty? I wonder if you'll learn the lesson I was teaching you? Nah...

  44. supercowbellninja (anonymous) says…

    I hate Wal Mart, but as far as I know, it's the only place that sells Hanna Montana-brand tackle.

  45. c_dubya (anonymous) says…

    I wonder how may of the Wal-Mart haters take their recycling there? Seems somewhat hypocritical to me...

  46. alm77 (anonymous) says…

    We seriously may be calling our real estate agent sooner than we thought....

  47. Ceallach (anonymous) says…

    "Thanks for pointing out that wal-mart shoppers are "hard working". God knows that everyone who supports the *local economy* is a lazy, welfare abusing liberal abortion provider."____________________#1 must you always bring your god into every post?#2 your god doesn't know much if he/she/it *knows* that everyone who supports the local economy are lazy, welfare abusing liberal abortion providers. "You can cry elitism all you like, but having been to wal-mart more times than I would have cared to, you cannot tell me that my observation is untrue."__________________________________You obviously believe in relative truth. Surprise, just because you have decided something doesn't mean it's true. You are not the what is and isn't true decidererererer.You were just being cruel and we both know it.

  48. royalpain (anonymous) says…

    cheeseburger-This intersection will clearly meet the requirements for Warrants 1-3 of the MUTCD. I haven't seen the study, but I'm sure if you wanted to see it, you could get your hands on it.As for "creating major intersections and erecting so many signals in a short span of roadway", you are right - I won't find that in the MUTCD. Why would that be in there? Sounds like a stupid reason to erect a light to me. There are plenty of valid reasons given in Warrants 1-8. Read them (especially condition B of Warrant 1) and you'll find that the signal is needed.And no, I'm not a traffic engineer, but I did stay at a Holdiay Inn Express last night!

  49. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    duplenty (Anonymous) says: "The lesson you were teaching"? Right:.you made that "sweeping generalization" (10:08 am) *before* I commented to you (10:13am), so, nice try at saving face.**************************Nice try at saving face duplenty, but I was clearly making that remark in response to similar smug remarks about Wal-Mart shoppers by ACG. I try to teach as many as possible. Come back later for more lessons, they're free after all!

  50. BuddhaDude (anonymous) says…

    Dear Cheeseburger -- if people would stop breaking the law and obey the posted speed limits, Lawrence would need all those traffic calming meassures.

  51. BuddhaDude (anonymous) says…

    Whoops, meant to say "wouldn't need"

  52. planetwax (anonymous) says…

    For some good articles on Wal-Mart and their seedy activities, go to www.democracynow.org and put "Wal-Mart" into their search engine.

  53. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    duplenty, did you see the whole post?*********************kansas778 (Anonymous) says: acg (Anonymous) says:The last time I went to wal-mart (which was many, many moons ago as I personally think that all wal-marts should be bulldozed immediately) it was like someone let loose a gaggle of trailer park losers in there. *****************************No, you haven't ever been to Wal-Mart, you are just a brain-washed tool of the hateful left. Everyone shops at Wal-Mart except potheads like you. In fact, rich people tend to buy the bulk generic stuff from Sam's Club and Wal-Mart. There's a reason why they have money: because they're frugal._____________________Seriously, you are a slow learner...

  54. Take_a_letter_Maria (anonymous) says…

    kansas778 (Anonymous) says: Seriously, you are a slow learner:------------------------------------------------------------------------Pot will do that to you. ;-)

  55. royalpain (anonymous) says…

    13 May 2008 at 11:32 a.m.Suggest removal PermalinkKSA_21_3503 (Anonymous) says: "I had no idea there were so many traffic engineers posting on this board! There are several requirements that must be met in order for a traffic light to be installed. Trust me - the studies are done for each and every location that has a traffic light. If the requirements aren't met - the light won't be installed. It's that simple. Stick to posting about topics you are familiar with."Where do you think these requirements come from? Natural law? No, they are created by the city. The city has decided that it is more important to hinder traffic flow than help it. No one is arguing that the requirements aren't met for a traffic light. What we are arguing is that the policy behind these requirements is flawed and that this will only cause more congestion, pollution, wear on the roads, accidents, and travel time for motorists.I don't think these requirements come from the city. I KNOW they come from the Federal Highway Admin. Don't blame city hall for this one.

  56. scott3460 (anonymous) says…

    I am a Walmart hater, I'll admit that right up front, but, wow, what an ugly picture accompanying this story. Cars, pavement and bland, cookie cutter houses as far as the eye can see. Yuck, what an aweful sight that corner has become.! And the point of the story is that, yipee, we're about to pave over the remaining area so that the grey concrete blah is uniform. They should put this picture in a dictionary and use it to help demonstrate "ugly."

  57. Ceallach (anonymous) says…

    I have read many of your posts. Try to remember, sarcasm is a two way street. You know nothing about my tears and cannot rightly judge my sincerity. Whereas your words were unnecessarily cruel.

  58. Cat_N_Rat (anonymous) says…

    oh good, another Mall Wart to boycott........

  59. Take_a_letter_Maria (anonymous) says…

    What sweeping generalization?What I stated is proven, scientific fact. Marijuana use creates placque in the blood vessels of the brain thus inhibiting the learning process.

  60. autie (anonymous) says…

    All you folks worried about the demise of Dillon's, believe it. They will fold like a sock within 8 months of the new Wal Mart opening. In my town, the Wal Mart panacea wiped out two full size grocery stores and kmart fell flat on it's face. Left us a legacy of empty buildings and no competition. We be stuck. but on the hypocritical side..they are cheaper and have pretty decent produce..except no exotic mushrooms like the old dillons had.

  61. jackbinkelman (anonymous) says…

    West Lawrence, Enjoy those thousands of plastic white wal mart bags strewn throughout your neighborhoods!! Don't believe me? Drive over to the fields behind the south Lawrence location. Or any highway near a wal fart anywhere. Really very sad. I feel for the west-side rs against this hideous build.

  62. autie (anonymous) says…

    that being shiitake mushrooms. My misspelling cause an uproar briefly.

  63. Orwell (anonymous) says…

    Wow! Cheap tube socks AND a traffic circle! My life has meaning again! Now we won't have long to wait for the payday loans shop and the tattoo parlor. You have no idea how long our neighborhood has suffered without them. Yippee!

  64. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    duplenty (Anonymous) says: I did see the whole post - it changes nothing. Are you really trying to posit that your statement "you are just a brain-washed tool of the hateful left. Everyone shops at Wal-Mart except potheads like you" was *in jest* regarding ACG? Because you then returned to these sweeping generalizations with me, even though I hadn't at that point said anything to you:********************************I'll break it down for you step-by-step.1. ACG makes sweeping generalizations about Wal-Mart shoppers.2. I make a retort about non-Wal-Mart shoppers returning the favor.3. You question me and then make similar sweeping generalizations about Wal-Mart shoppers4. I make a retort returning the favor.5. You cry about it

  65. geniusmannumber1 (anonymous) says…

    Dillon's v. WalMart. Two of the biggest corporations on the planet duking it out, mano a mano. Who ya got?I encourage everyone picking sides on this to take a good, long look in the mirror and ask themselves what poor decisions they've made in their lives and whether it's too late to start over.

  66. blue73harley (anonymous) says…

    "Now we won't have long to wait for the payday loans shop and the tattoo parlor. "Hmmmm...let's see....exactly how many of these establishments are near the south Wal Mart? Nope, indeed there are none. However, if you care to look to our "diverse" downtown...

  67. beatrice (anonymous) says…

    After "right-thinker" was booted from LJWorld for his continued racist statements, why has he been allowed back on under the name "lucky-man?" Why, LJWorld staff, have you allowed a known racist who has previously provided links to White Supremacist sites been allowed back on here to spit out his form of hatred? Why? Oh, and Wal-Mart isn't good for America.

  68. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    Duplenty, what I don't understand is what exactly you expected to see when you went to a Wal-Mart. Was everyone supposed to be wearing a suit and tie? You saw fat people there, well guess what, most Americans are overweight, so what did you expect? There probably is a lot of NASCAR fans there because...there are a lot of NASCAR fans in this country. What did you expect? High class folks wear a tee-shirt and jeans when they go to Wal-Mart too, but you think you can tell someone's socio-economic status just by looking at them? No, I think your prejudices have nothing to do with who you saw there at all.

  69. Gina (Gina Bailey-Carbaugh) says…

    Another notch in Compton's belt. If you can't burn it down or chop it up, sue the city to get what you want.

  70. blahblahblah (anonymous) says…

    You can usually tell a person's socio-economic status by looking at them, focusing on hygiene, oral health, and hair style. Unless a person is a country singer, no one who earns over $20,000 a year would be caught dead in a mullet.

  71. blue73harley (anonymous) says…

    "no one who earns over $20,000 a year would be caught dead in a mullet."Are high gas prices keeping you out of Missouri?

  72. TheYetiSpeaks (anonymous) says…

    Nothing brings out Lawrence hypocrisy and ignorance like a Wal-mart story. Egads!!

  73. cheeseburger (anonymous) says…

    royal - when was the last time the city asked the question, 'what can we do to alleviate congestion and allow traffic to move more freely?' They haven't - too busy figuring out ways to slow and otherwise restrict the flow of traffic with humps, bumps, Dunfield islands, etc.And buddha - I think you'll find that the MUTCD says you should not erect stoplights for the purpose of controlling speed - a chapter in the MUTCD book that the city apparently skipped over, given that this is one of their main goals.

  74. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    Duplenty, what I don't understand is what exactly you expected to see when you went to a Wal-Mart. Was everyone supposed to be wearing a suit and tie? You saw fat people there, well guess what, most Americans are overweight, so what did you expect? There probably is a lot of NASCAR fans there because:there are a lot of NASCAR fans in this country. What did you expect? High class folks wear a tee-shirt and jeans when they go to Wal-Mart too, but you think you can tell someone's socio-economic status just by looking at them? No, I think your prejudices have nothing to do with who you saw there at all.

  75. BuddhaDude (anonymous) says…

    Well Cheesebuger, I don't think they should put stop-lights on Wakarusa at the Harvard and Inverness intersections to control speed. They should put them there to control the traffic thru the intersections. The 4-way stop signs at the intersections are not there to slow traffic on Wakarusa, but to allow passage across it. Unfortunately, these are multi-lanes streets and most people these days are either not courteous enough, too arrogant bother with or too ignorant to obeying the rules of right-of-way at a 4-way stop when faced with more than 3 other lanes of traffic. My thing about the speed was that if people slowed to the posted limit, then Lawrence wouldn't need so many stupid circles and bumps to slow them down to the limit.

  76. BuddhaDude (anonymous) says…

    Funny thing seeing this picture and knowing the Lawrence culture (as I assume from reading these postings)... There is a McDonald's in the center of this picture and no one has decried the slaughter of millions of non-organic cows to feed America's obesity-creating fastfood culture.And is that an SUV I see getting gas. The shame!

  77. Confrontation (anonymous) says…

    Although Wal-Mart has been closing stores around the Nation, I can't wait to see this one open its doors. So many Lawrence people think they're too special to get a Wal-Mart on their side of town, and I don't want to disappoint them. Welcome, Wal-Mart #2!

  78. kansas778 (anonymous) says…

    duplenty (Anonymous) says: Um, no. I'd be glad to accompany you to the exisiting wal-mart so that we can take a quick gander at the genetic bouillibasse that is the wal-mart target demographic.Lots and lots and lots of unfortunate NASCAR types in there, many of whom seem to be corpulently obese (must be those bulk items).**************************************Yes, you are righteously opposed to sweeping generalizations.

  79. Confrontation (anonymous) says…

    acg isn't fooling anyone. I'm willing to bet that she actually works at Wal-Mat. She doesn't want you to shop there. That'd mean actually having to do some work. She has a $1 ice tea pitcher for anyone who might be interested. It's made of #7 plastic.

  80. blakus (anonymous) says…

    Keep post-preaching anonymously on the LJWolrd... we all know what good it does.

  81. Cat_N_Rat (anonymous) says…

    oh and the infamous McDonald's, they have been boycotted by me for over 3 years now.

  82. dirkleisure (anonymous) says…

    On the question of traffic devices on Wakarusa between 6th and Bob Billings, I can understand conversation about a device at Harvard and Wakarusa, but the 4-way stop at Inverness and Wakarusa is a joke.There is no way traffic on Inverness merits a traffic device to allow safe turning onto or crossing of Wakarusa. Probably there is some study to prove my common sense wrong, but I'm certainly entitled to that opinion.In that esteemed opinion, the placement of a stop light or four way stop at an intersection encourages the use of those side streets as major thoroughfares. I'm fairly certain that isn't what residents on Inverness, or Congressional or George Williams Way for that matter, want for their neighborhood.In that esteemed opinion, there is traffic calming and then there is traffic control. Throwing up stoplights is a piss poor method of traffic calming.

  83. vpete69 (anonymous) says…

    I cant wait to start buying ammunition from Wal-Mart for my concealed firearm that I carry everywhere but on campus (that will change soon). Their ammo is almost half the cost compared to others. And Wal-Mart has a corporate policy NOT to post signs restricting cch. i love walmart!

  84. Take_a_letter_Maria (anonymous) says…

    Um, cool, I don't see where eve singled you out in her post, but you did pick that quote up from another poster in your 12:26 post where you praised the original thought. So while not directly attributable to you, you did agree with it (unless you want to drop the sarcasm card now.)

  85. Sagecasey (Troy Taylor) says…

    This link defines Walmart pdg to me.http://www.jibjab.com/originals/big_box_mart

  86. kujhawk (anonymous) says…

    Will Wal-Mart fix the potholes on my street?

  87. packs_of_wild_dogzz (anonymous) says…

    royalpain (Anonymous) says:"I had no idea there were so many traffic engineers posting on this board!"+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++HAHA!!! Didn't you know, the professionals come out of the woodwork for stories like these. Everybody knows somethin'.

  88. touringdriver (anonymous) says…

    wal-mart sucks. regaurdless where it's built.

  89. lounger (anonymous) says…

    Lets just put up wal-marts all over town. On every corner. horrible thing thats happening here. Another wally world for all the lazy, consumer brainwashed peeps to go to. Great for the local community isnt it--Ummm not at all! Another mistake from the new commission!

  90. gr (anonymous) says…

    "Lets just put up wal-marts all over town. "And what would you prefer instead?"consumer brainwashed peeps to go to."And all these brainwashed, cost conscience customers would go to the alternatives or would they travel to places that have Wal-Marts?

  91. cheeseburger (anonymous) says…

    KSA-Your 5:32 post from yesterday is right on. This is the 'chapter' in the MUTCD book I referred to yesterday that I think city staffers apparently skipped over. Lawrence could be used as a case study for this particular 'chapter', as city staffers clearly see stoplights as a cure-all remedy, when in fact they often create more problems than they solve.

  92. BalkansHawk (anonymous) says…

    tourningdriver - I'm with you, Walmart sucks.

  93. BalkansHawk (anonymous) says…

    touringdriver - My bad. I am used to typing tournament a lot. Hope you can forgive me.

  94. bangaranggerg (anonymous) says…

    I strongly oppose a "traffic calming device" there. I live about a block from 6th and congressional and take that road to start my commute to work every day. I wasn't upset about this project until right now. This sucks. So angry to find out about this.