Wal-Mart gets permits for superstore near Smelterville

Wal-Mart has received permits to build a superstore on the outskirts of Smelterville, Idaho.

The 99,700-square-foot store will take about 10 months to complete once construction begins, said Eric Berger, spokesman for the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer. Wal-Mart will also build a 500-vehicle parking lot on the 13-acre site, which is located near Interstate 90’s Smelterville exit.

Shoshone County issued the building permits Wednesday. The site was already zoned for commercial development, said Jeff Legg, the county’s planning administrator.

At the county’s suggestion, Wal-Mart will construct a timber-framed entry to the store, and include wood accents on the façade.

“It softens the building, it’s not just your typical big-box store with a stripe,” Legg said. “It will fit in very well with the community.”

At the Smelterville location, Wal-Mart hopes to capitalize on both Shoshone County’s growing resort community and passing traffic on I-90.

The new store will generate about 178 vehicle trips per hour during peak shopping times, typically the afternoon and evening hours. The number of vehicles is projected to grow by about 5 percent each year, according to a traffic study done by Wal-Mart.

To accommodate the traffic growth, Wal-Mart agreed to reconfigure a four-way intersection south of the I-90 interchange and widen several roads to include turn lanes, Legg said.

Other retail stores will be included in the development. The company also plans to build a gas station on the site, which will require a conditional use permit, Legg said.