Dayton to get Love's Truck Stop (how much, transportation, design)

[Ohioan58]

That's a good point, but in these times there's a desperation for ANY kind of (tax) revenue, even if it does not align with the faintest notion of a long term plan. I wouldn't expect Dayton to do any different.

I agree that it's a terrible use of the exit and the land. A major corporation or business park should have its HQ there. (In an alternate reality where Dayton is considered a hot business location, that is.)

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by Ohioan58

^

I watch Ice Road Truckers, so I know everything there is to know about trucking.

(Ducking)

SUPER!!! Ohioan58, you and I need to get together! I've only been trucking for 16 years and I've still got a lot to learn. Maybe you can fill me in on some things!

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

Sorry, but this is awful. Dayton needs significant development on that site, not a generic, dime-a-dozen truck stop. Now, Dayton's most prominent exit with access to UD Arena, Welcome Stadium, UD, Brown Street and all the new development going on across the river is going to be fouled by the presence of a dirty truck stop choked with semis at all hours of the day/night. Not to mention the lot lizard prostitution and rampant drug abuse that goes on at these places coupled with the increased traffic ... that'll be a really nice face to present to the 13,000 Flyers fans who go to every game and all the visitors for NCAA and high school basketball tournaments. Look at how unappealing that Franklin exit is off I-75 and that's what we can expect in Dayton.

Sorry, this is not only underwhelming, it's a decided negative.

And what an opportunity for West Carrollton to really capitalize on their new exit by creating an attractive, pleasant and welcoming area full of nice hotels and restaurants and a stark contrast to the ugly Dayton exit a couple of miles north.

Oh HEAVENS, abr7rmj, you mean sports fans would actually have to get off the freeway at the very same exit where a truck that brings everything they, eat, wear or even touch has to get off? Why, that MUST rank right up there with "crimes against humanity". Of course the truck stop would be "choked with semis at all hours day/night" because THERE AIN'T ENOUGH FRIGGIN' TRUCK PARKING IN THIS COUNTRY. Actually, I find the Pilot at the Franklin VERY appealing since I buy several hundred dollars worth of diesel fuel and other things there every work day. Along with LOTS of travelers in CARS that stop and spend money there. (Yes, the whole interchange @ OH 123 is YEARS overdue for a renovation.)

BTW; Love's and the other truck stop chains do an excellent job of keeping their facilities clean and free of "undesirable elements". Forget the trash you see in our "anything for a buck" drive-by media.

[Ohioan58]

Crew Chief, you're taking it too personally. The posters complaining about the location of Love's have a point. Gas stations are essential but so are power plants and sewage plants. Aesthetically, they're ugly. No city voluntarily chooses to have a power plant or a gas station complex represent it where a major interstate approaches the city.

Like I said, some kind of non industrial property - an entertainment complex, or a business park, or a museum, or something like that - in that location - would look the best. That area kind of represents Dayton due to its location along 75.

So the view from I-75 approaching from the south is gonna be - huge Love's on the left with big ***** red and yellow illuminated Luuuuuuuuv's signs - Carillon Tower on the right. Incongruous.

Would you place a Love's on the lakefront in Cleveland or next to Great American Ballpark?

But I also said that as far as Dayton is concerned, dream on for a better use of the property - it's lucky to get any new business, even retail/service like this. Dayton is taking what it can get.

It's symbolic and it's reflective of reality. Dayton has fallen, hard. We didn't retain industry. This is what we get.

And yes, I concur based on the posts above, there aren't enough truck parking lots in the US.

[lived here forever]

I bet abr7rmt is one of those people who thinks trucks don't belong on the road, getting 'in their way to where they're going". Crew Chief, thanks for all you do. Without truckers, there would be no food, clothes, building materials, and just about everything. I have a great respect for truck drivers.

I sort of agree, we need something there. Even if it a Love's, the space is no longer ugly and bare. If you want entertainment, go on up 75 to Scene 75. That's a really fun place! I know I'll be stopping there frequently. And I'm sure Flyer Fans will be glad to have somewhere else to stop for gas than the BP station. That place can be scary sometmes.

[dxdtdemon]

I just hope that the motel across the street from the Love's that got abandoned about two years ago gets renovated and in use again.

[hensleya1]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

GREAT news! Dayton will FINALLY have a close-in truck stop. As truck-dependent as we are here, it's long overdue. Granted, Love's only serves fast food. And there's only fast food across the street. But it's a LOT better than hiking up from Franklin or Eaton or even London or Beaverdam.



Love

Hi Crew Chief--

I see this as a mixed bag for Dayton. I'll try to hit on both:

The Good:
1) I remember getting off 75 south at Stewart Street and if you made a left, you were OK - but if you make a right, the whole neighborhood looked like it was bombed out. Even now, the area is completely vacant and an eyesore. So, any development is better than no development.

2) The $ the City makes from property taxes and income taxes would be a boost no matter how you spin it. I don't know a lot about Dayton's government but it does seem to be (at least marginally) better than Cincinnati's, so maybe the money will be put to good use.

3) About time there's something within Dayton's city limits that is 24 hours. I live downtown, and Dayton's downtown is the only one I know of where everything's closed by 7 PM. It's creepy.



The Bad:
1) Once Love's is there, it isn't going anywhere. If the UD area is to develop over time, certainly more desirable enterprises (read: more expensive, so more tax dollars) will come in the future. If this is the case and more money wants to come in, the only other place to develop in the immediate area is around Carillon - along Stewart St. I can certainly foresee it turning into student housing or business/entertainment over the next 20 years if UD continues to grow - at the obvious cost of running people out of their homes. Maybe Stewart Street would be an excellent place to add a trolley bus or some shuttle of some type if that area developed? (Maybe that's good, actually.)

2) I don't know how many people still live in the area (Edgemont?), but there may be some NIMBY factor with all the trucks idling, etc.

3) I question whether three thru lanes through downtown Dayton, even when complete, will be adequate for the foreseeable future. As it is, the current construction woes won't be finished until at least 2017 according to ODOT - and 2020 may be more realistic. I certainly don't relish the thought of dozens of semi's trying to accelerate onto 75 through that construction zone on a regular basis. Sounds like an accident waiting to happen, especially since northbound traffic from 35 is already being detoured down to Edwin Moses.

3a) Maybe if ODOT found the Federal money to expand 75 to four lanes in each direction through all of Montgomery County like they already have through Butler and Warren counties? Getting the right of way through downtown and old north Dayton would be a doozy, though.

[hensleya1]

Originally Posted by dxdtdemon

I just hope that the motel across the street from the Love's that got abandoned about two years ago gets renovated and in use again.

Hi dxdtdemon--

If we're talking about the same motel next to Wendy's, it was torn down a couple weeks ago.

[Crew Chief]

Thanks for the replies, Ohioan58, lived here forever and dxdtdemon! Ohian58, yeah, you're right about taking it personally. I guess since truck parking and truck facilities are so near and dear to my heart, I probably get a little wound up for some outside of my industry. But this area SORELY needs more truck parking and a disused industrial site is the a pretty good answer. (At least you're looking the other way at Carrillon Park)

Ab7rmj, my apologies in advance. Nothing personal; I get the "NIMBY" attitude and I live in Washington Twp. If I owned my own truck, I darn sure wouldn't want to take it home. OR have my neighbors have to look at it in my driveway (even if township rules permitted it) It's always been an uphill battle to get what we behind the wheel need. Even from our own industry. So the attitudes of folks whose only education about the trucking industry is from a (mostly) biased media is understandable. As most can understand, truck stops take up a lot of space. Trucks take a lot of time to get moving and slow down. And need facilities as close to truck routes as possible.

[Crew Chief]

[quote=hensleya1;25348184]Hi Crew Chief--

I see this as a mixed bag for Dayton. I'll try to hit on both:

The Good:
1) I remember getting off 75 south at Stewart Street and if you made a left, you were OK - but if you make a right, the whole neighborhood looked like it was bombed out. Even now, the area is completely vacant and an eyesore. So, any development is better than no development. Reply: Definitely so.



2) The $ the City makes from property taxes and income taxes would be a boost no matter how you spin it. I don't know a lot about Dayton's government but it does seem to be (at least marginally) better than Cincinnati's, so maybe the money will be put to good use. Reply: yep, I see the Love's as a mostly good thing. ANY business generating tax revenue is a good thing. I'm hoping (and believe that Dayton WILL rise again. Again, it's hard to get excited about the 24-hour presence of 70'+ big trucks unless you've got #2 diesel in your veins. But, again. It will be something an important sector of the economy does need.

3) About time there's something within Dayton's city limits that is 24 hours. I live downtown, and Dayton's downtown is the only one I know of where everything's closed by 7 PM. It's creepy. And, trust me, some truckers get VERY entertaining, os come on out if you can't sleep...



The Bad:
1) Once Love's is there, it isn't going anywhere. If the UD area is to develop over time, certainly more desirable enterprises (read: more expensive, so more tax dollars) will come in the future. If this is the case and more money wants to come in, the only other place to develop in the immediate area is around Carillon - along Stewart St. I can certainly foresee it turning into student housing or business/entertainment over the next 20 years if UD continues to grow - at the obvious cost of running people out of their homes. Maybe Stewart Street would be an excellent place to add a trolley bus or some shuttle of some type if that area developed? (Maybe that's good, actually.) Reply: Yep; the name of the game is increased tax revenue and your point about a possible UD expansion is well taken. Unless we back up to a truck stop sited somewhere out in the boonies, we get almost back to the "Current truck facilities are too far away from Dayton" dilemma. From my perspective, the E.C. Moses site is a reasonable compromise. (Although I hope ODOT studies the Exit 38 Franklin problem before the finish ramp/road construction at E. C. Moses

2) I don't know how many people still live in the area (Edgemont?), but there may be some NIMBY factor with all the trucks idling, etc. Reply: The good news is that states like CA and the EPA are finally forcing truck builders to install auxiliary power units. I'm also encouraged to see electrical shore power and "Idle Air" technology sprouting at truck stops. We truckers should've done all this YEARS ago...

3) I question whether three thru lanes through downtown Dayton, even when complete, will be adequate for the foreseeable future. As it is, the current construction woes won't be finished until at least 2017 according to ODOT - and 2020 may be more realistic. I certainly don't relish the thought of dozens of semi's trying to accelerate onto 75 through that construction zone on a regular basis. Sounds like an accident waiting to happen, especially since northbound traffic from 35 is already being detoured down to Edwin Moses. Reply: Not much I can say here but "Agreed" As a professional, I'm frustrated with car (AND truck) drivers that race through construction zones like they're a racetrack. I go through downtown Dayton 4-6 times a day and I've FREQUENTLY found traffic configuration changes from one trip to the next! If I win the lottery, I'd love to buy the former Victory Express/US Xpress terminal at the I-70/I-675 junction and make one heckuva truck stop there...

3a) Maybe if ODOT found the Federal money to expand 75 to four lanes in each direction through all of Montgomery County like they already have through Butler and Warren counties? Getting the right of way through downtown and old north Dayton would be a doozy, though.AMEN!!! Don't know how we'd ever afford it. Despite it not being legal. And costing truck drivers unpaid miles, I'd be amenable to making through-trucks use I-675. But I can hear the WPAFB commuters howling already...[/quote]

Thanks, Hensleya1, for a really nice discussion! Yeah, hot button issues like this will always find disagreement even among thinking people. I wish there were more (and reasonably-priced) alternatives. But there aren't any I can see on the horizon.