Council forwards plans for Pilot Flying J truck stop

Springfield City Council last night unanimously approved a use permit allowing a truck stop at the corner of Chestnut Expressway and Interstate 44 in northwest Springfield.

Knoxville, Tenn.-based Pilot Travel Centers LLC, which does business as Pilot Flying J, is the developer looking to bring a truck stop on 12 acres at 4901 and 4939 W. Chestnut Expressway, according to the council agenda.

Pilot Flying J claims to be the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America with more than 650 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada, according to PilotFlying.com. In all, the chain has over 65,000 parking spaces for trucks, 4,400 showers and more than 4,000 diesel lanes across its network and has been ranked No. 7 on Forbes’ list of America’s Largest Private Companies.

A company spokesperson declined to confirm development plans, but information provided to council in the bill via Springfield-based civil engineering firm Lee Engineering and Associates LLC shows four representatives of the company attended a July 15 neighborhood meeting and provided sketches of the development to attendees.