Plans to build a new McDonald’s to the west of its current location on 6th Street in Junction City will impact the traffic flow through the alleyway behind the current restaurant.
David Yearout, Junction City/Geary County Planning and Zoning Administrator, provided the final details on the project to City Commissioners at their meeting on May 2nd.
“The existing building will be torn down and raised to the ground; a brand new building will be built effectively, immediately to the west of that current location,” said Yearout. “Parking will be reconfigured, traffic patterns will be reconfigured, the drive up lanes for ordering through their order boxes will be reconfigured, all of that will be significantly adjusted from how that currently exists.”
The alleyway behind the restaurant will also be closed to thru-traffic. Yearout noted that McDonald’s cited safety reasons for wanting to block the portion of the alley that sits behind the restaurant.
“As it’s planned in the current layout, no one will be able to drive straight through from either direction on the current alignment of the alley,” said Yearout. “Probably the biggest impact is going to be on the fact that currently City trash service does move down that alley to pick up trash service, well now it will change the pattern in which they will be driving through that area.”
City Public Works Director Ray Ibarra noted that they will adjust according to the change, and saw no reason to worry.
The changes may take some time for the community to adjust to, but City Commissioner Pat Landes said that it is welcomed and needed.
“There used to be a lot of accidents between 6th and 7th Street on both ends of that McDonald’s, and by creating only one access point at the top of 6th Street that should simplify things considerably and hopefully increase the safety in that area,” said Landes. “It’s also something we need to celebrate that a business wants to expand in Junction City.”
Landes comments were via telephone at the May 2nd Commission meeting.
Plans to tear down the existing location on 6th Street and begin work on the new structure are expected to begin this summer.