Opposition To Burr Ridge Area Truck Stop Builds

BURR RIDGE, IL – An online petition has gathered nearly 1,900 signatures against a proposed truck stop in an unincorporated neighborhood near Burr Ridge.

The DuPage County Zoning Board of Appeals is considering the planned truck stop, which would be at the southwest corner of 91st Street and Kingery Highway (Route 83).

In June, the Burr Ridge Village Board adopted a resolution against the QuikTrip truck stop. With that opposition, the business' zoning will require the support of three-fourths of County Board members, rather than the usual two-thirds for such zoning matters.

Under the plan, the truck stop would require the demolition of the strip mall that includes Young Cleaners, 7 Star Quick Shop, Hala Hookah and Damascus Falafel.

According to the petition, the intersection of Kingery Highway and 91st Street is already busy for Anne M. Jeans Elementary School, Burr Ridge Middle School and four places of worship.

"Placing a truck stop in that area would make the intersection even more dangerous for pedestrians, particularly young children who are out of the bus stop radius and walk to and from school and religious community activities," the petition said.

Additionally, the demolition of the strip mall would make the neighborhood a "food desert," which are areas without fresh food for sale, the petition said.

The petition pointed to Damascus Falafel and 7 Star Quick Shop as the area's only fresh food sources now.

The rest of the nearby places sell fast or packaged food. It is too costly for low-income families, who make up nearly all the students attending Burr Ridge School District 180, the petition said.

During a June hearing of the zoning board, members were told that the truck shop would include no showers, lounges or other facilities that would attract long-term or overnight truck parking.

"Our intent as an applicant is to provide a service for that existing traffic and not generate new traffic just to our site," said Ali Bukhres, real estate project manager with QuikTrip, according to the transcript. "And again, with 4,400 trucks passing along Kingery each day, that's really one of the leading factors in why we think this site is suitable and will be a viable location for the applicant."

The truck stop would be southwest of Burr Ridge.

The next hearing is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 12 in Room 3-500B at the county administration building, 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton.