WAL-MART EXPANDING IN EASTWOOD, MI?

Wal-Mart Expansion To Eastwood? [WILX-TV (Mich.)]

It’s kind of like taking the good with the bad.

Venture out to Eastwood Towne Center for shopping or a movie-- and you’re bound to hit terrible traffic.

And a possible Wal-Mart expansion could back things up even more.

“Wal-mart’s proposing a revised concept from what they have, geared towards upscale shopping experience,” says Lansing Township’s director of development Steve Hayward.

Hayward says the Wal-Mart expansion would feature a new upscale grocery section, as well as a home furnishings area.

“It’s geared toward a more organic component and more foreign items, international foods as well,” he says.

The township admits they have to do something about the traffic if this growth continues; they also have a hotel and water-park on tap for the same Eastwood property.

But News10 spoke to MDOT about the possibility of adding another exit off the highway and spokesman Bill Shreck says that might not be the best answer.

“Another exit that close to the current one at Lake Lansing would be difficult,” he says. “It can cost tens of millions of dollars for a new interchange. In most cases, it can take 10, 15, 20 years.”

So the township instead wants to go another route and upgrade their traffic signals, which they say could save five minutes travel time going from the west to east side of the expressway on Lake Lansing.

“It will cost $80,000,” Hayward says. “Lansing Township has pledged half. We’re asking other regional communities to come up with the other half.

“For businesses to be successful, people need to get to them,” he says.

How quickly they get there is the question.

Posted by Joel Nezianya on Wednesday, July 09, 2008

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