The Town of Apple Valley is in negotiations with a major company (probably Big Lots) to build a 1.3 million square foot distribution center in north Apple Valley. The new distribution center would be south of the Victor Valley College Public Safety Campus and north of Altadena Street, with an entrance off of Navajo Road.
It’s anyone’s guess why another distribution center is being located so far from the I-15 freeway, but if the Town council passes the resolution at meeting on Tuesday night (June 9th) — which it will — and the distribution center actually gets built — which it might — cycling on the two-lane roads between the new distribution center, and the off-ramps at Stoddard Wells Road and the Dale Evans Parkway, could become a lot more exciting. But not in a good way. This means Johnson Road, Central Road, Dale Evans Parkway, Navajo Road, Altadena Street, Dakota Road / Dachshund Avenue, and Corwin Road could in a few years see much more traffic from tractor-trailers and other heavy trucks.
I’ve scanned the agreement documents for this proposal, but have yet to find what traffic mitigation is in the works for cyclists. The Town of Apple Valley is known for being opportunistic (rather than pro-active) in establishing bike lanes and infrastructure, though, so perhaps this will be a good thing when all is said and done.
See the agreement documents here.
