Travel center should arrive in fall

A representative of Oklahoma City-based Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores Inc. still plans on building a 24-hour truck stop on 10 acres the company bought in the Expo site at Post Falls.

"I can confirm that we will begin construction on the Post Falls location in the spring," said Love's spokeswoman Jenny Love Meyer. "It will open in September of this year."

The center's facilities are to be built just southwest of the intersection of Expo Parkway and Pleasant View Road, all just north of Interstate 90. The address would be 4100 E. Expo Parkway.

The Press reported in 2009 that the plans call for a 6,500-square-foot country store, a 2,500-square-foot fast food restaurant, an eight-pump tractor-trailer fueling station, 16-pump car fuel station, and a truck-tire maintenance station.

Meyer said the center will employ about 45 to 50 people and have a Carl's Jr. restaurant.

She said a general contractor has not been named for the project. She said Love's has a group of general contractors across the county that bid on the company's projects.

The Press reported early last year that construction on the travel center would begin last spring. Love's purchased property at the Expo development in 2008.

Love's, which is family owned and operated, has more than 260 locations in more than 35 states. The only Love's in Idaho is in Heyburn, east of Twin Falls on Interstate 84.

A Flying J travel center, at 3636 W. Fifth St., currently is operating across Pleasant View Road from the planned Love's center.

Flying J Inc. merged with Pilot Travel Centers LLC last year, forming a new company called Pilot Flying J, headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn.

Pilot Flying J sold 26 locations to Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores, as required by the Federal Trade Commission as a condition for the merger.