Sawdust Road site stirs worry from neighbors about increased noise and traffic

06/28/2006
By BETH KUHLES Chronicle Correspondent

About 60 residents of the Grogan's Mill neighborhood in The Woodlands say a new Wal-Mart Supercenter won't work on Sawdust Road because of traffic, noise, lights, crime and property depreciation.

Wal-Mart has proposed a 200,000-square-foot store on the Spring Woodlands Church of Christ property at 1021 Sawdust Road. It would contain a general merchandise center, grocery store, bakery, tire and lube center, gas station, garden center, pharmacy and vision center.

While Wal-Mart representatives say they have made several concessions at the proposed store site — including an upgraded design and expansive forested buffer — nearby residents opposed the new location, saying it would negatively impact the daily lives of people living in surrounding subdivisions.

Traffic concerns

One of the main concerns was over traffic in the area. The new Wal-Mart is expected to attract 12,000 vehicle entrances and exits from the store daily and residents believe Sawdust Road can't handle the additional traffic.

"You have a preschool, buses and Starbucks on the corner," said Audrey Glisson of Sunset Springs. "It's a nightmare in the morning."

Wal-Mart has submitted plans to Montgomery County for two entrances into the facility, both from Sawdust Road. A traffic light would be installed at the main entrance, which would be linked to the county's Northstar traffic system to help control mobility. A second entrance would be built at the western side of the property, said Mike McInturff, a principal in WHM Transport Engineering, the traffic engineering firm hired by Wal-Mart.

"I moved here because it takes me just four to five minutes to get to the freeway," said Carlos Gonzalez, a resident of Sunset Springs. "Now we are looking at 10 to 15 minutes just to get to the freeway. It doesn't sound like a good neighbor to us. It will make it worse for me to get to work."

Wal-Mart has proposed a dedicated center turn lane on Sawdust to accommodate those turning into Wal-Mart or Grogan's Park Drive across the street. It would include a 250-foot curbed left turn lane into Wal-Mart from the east. The county has not completed review of the plans, McInturff said.

Price of development

"From the county's perspective, this portion of Sawdust Road is not part of The Woodlands," said Art Salinas, inspector for Montgomery County Precinct 3. "It's in unincorporated Montgomery County."

Salinas said the county has no zoning rights. He said the county can require standards for mobility, but cannot prohibit Wal-Mart from building on the site.

"There is a lot of undeveloped property on Sawdust," Salinas said. "Mobility will be an issue until the day we die."

Kim Randle, senior public affairs manager for Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, said the new store is expected to bring around 400 jobs to the community. The older Wal-Mart on Grogan's Mill Road would be closed down. Construction is expected to begin late in 2007 and be complete in 2008.

Residents questioned whether an adjoining bridge over a major drainage ditch and a curve in the road on Sawdust could withstand the additional traffic or delivery trucks that would visit the site daily.

Roadway impact

Wal-Mart officials said they have not studied the structural integrity of the bridge or the impact on surrounding roads, such as Budde and Sawmill roads, which may serve as alternatives to avoid the Wal-Mart traffic. Budde Road is a heavily traveled thoroughfare that is scheduled for expansion, and Sawmill Road houses three public schools.

Residents also complained about the impact for South Park, located near the Grogan's Mill and Sawdust intersection, which is used by commuters leaving the Sawdust Park & Ride lot.

McInturff said many of the traffic counts were done last year when Sawdust Road was under construction. Wal-Mart officials agreed to update those traffic volumes in September, when the full traffic load in the area returns after the opening of schools. Residents said construction traffic cut the number of people that used that route in half.

Noise, light worries

Woodlands neighbors who would be located behind and on the side of the store said they would be impacted by light, noise and environmental pollution from the site. The loading docks and trash compactors would be located at the rear of the building near the residential subdivisions.

Wal-Mart officials said a 100-foot buffer would remain at the back of the store, which would reduce any problems from the site. They also vowed to transplant trees from other sections of the development along the back buffer to further shield residents from the site.

The side of the property near Peace Rose would remain heavily vegetated and would not be touched. The plans also call for the loading docks and compactors to be shielded with 10-foot-high walls.

Wal-Mart also plans to use parking lot lighting designed to illuminate only parking spaces and not surrounding areas.

Wal-Mart also plans to keep a 75-foot buffer along Sawdust Road, featuring many of the existing trees as well as professional landscaping.