Wally's proposes 52,000-square-foot travel center, 84 fueling positions at Noland Road; council hears traffic, zoning and infrastructure questions

Representatives for Wally's on Monday presented the company's plan for a large travel center at a site on Noland Road in Independence and said they will seek zoning and permitting approvals in the coming weeks.

"Our transactions of inside sales outnumber fuel transactions 5 to 1," said Nathan Hale, director of construction and development for Wally's, describing the company's focus on food, merchandise and traveler services as well as fueling.

The site plan presented to the council shows a roughly 52,000-square-foot building, an on-site canopy with 42 working fuel dispensers (84 fueling positions), and site improvements on 14 to 16 acres. Hale said the planned store would employ roughly 200 to 210 people at opening and that the company expects high retail and food sales in key travel periods; he said comparable Wally's stores sometimes produce combined inside-and-fuel revenues exceeding $50,000 per day during busy periods.

Traffic, infrastructure and permitting were the central topics at the study session. Wally's told the council…