Aurora Alderman Speaks Out Against Speedway in Oswego

Speedway wants to come to Oswego, but area residents don’t seem to want it.

The gas station would sit on the northeast corner of Route 30 and Wolf Road and would be in both the Oswego and Aurora jurisdictions.

According to plans, the Speedway would feature a 4,600 square foot convenience store that would have 10 pumps and service passenger vehicles as well as semi-trucks.

Several Aurora and Oswego residents who live near the Wolf and Route 30 intersection turned out to recommend against letting the Speedway come in to town, including Aurora Ward 9 Alderman Edward Bugg.

Bugg said he represents the part of Aurora that is part of the Oswego 308 school family and are “neighbors and partners” of the community.

“I’m very much in favor of a business coming to the area of Route 30 and Wolf Road,” said Bugg. “I do not feel at this time Speedway is the correct business to go into that location.”

One concern Bugg mentioned is the intersection and the lack of a left turn onto Route 30.

“We’re not just looking at the Speedway [congestion], but the congestion already on Wolf’s Crossing,” said Bugg. He said in the morning the traffic can back up all the way onto Eola Road with all of the Oswego schools along Wolf Road and the bus and parent traffic.

Last year a traffic study was done in the area by the school andBugg said some improvements were made, but still not enough.

An Oswego 308 parent and Aurora resident Kurt Musselman also spoke out about the congestion of that intersection. “We go through that intersection 16 times a week,” Musselman of his family, who uses Wolf Road to access shops in Oswego and the schools. “We’d love to do that safely.”

The other point of contention is the sale of alcohol that would be present at the Speedway.

“[The Speedway] will become the corner grocery store,” said Bugg. “Every sixth, seventh and eighth grader is going to get a candy bar and they are going to see the influence of alcohol.”

“Am I against alcohol?” Bugg continued. “Certainly not. I think it needs to be in a more commercialized area, not within 100 feet from our schools.”

Under the Village’s liquor ordinance, an institution with major alcohol sales is not allowed within100 feet of a school. However, Speedway would not be considered a major sale.

Speedway will have a chance to speak during the Sept. 17 Village board meeting that begins at 7 p.m. at Village Hall.