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America may run on DUNKIN’ – as the multinational chain’s slogan suggests – but bringing the brand to Springfield’s South Sixth Street has taken a slower pace.
The chain’s signature table and chairs, a display counter and equipment beckon from inside the 2730 S. Sixth St. location that has been five years in the making. A “Hiring Now” sign even greets traffic along the busy commuter road. […]
Sixth Street’s traffic was the draw, but access from one of the city’s busiest commuter roads has proved a challenge.
It took a full year after publicly announcing plans in 2016 to build in front of the Habitat for Humanity Restore before receiving approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation, which has jurisdiction of that section of Sixth Street.
I freely admit that I don’t know all the details here. And I’m not even a big Dunkin’ fan. But while IDOT certainly has a role to play, a year-long approval process when the store was built on a parking lot in front of another store seems a bit much.
As I’ve said before, we put so many hurdles in front of businesses in Illinois that improving this approval process could be one small way to make things better. It’s at least worth a try.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:18 pm
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Finally, some red tape I can get behind. The kind that keeps Dunkin’s crappy cup of coffee out of the state. We’re trying to reverse outmigration here, not accelerate it.
Comment by Anon312 Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:21 pm
I haven’t paid attention to the building. I’d guess the issue is the curb cuts directly on to 6th.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:22 pm
===the curb cuts directly on to 6th===
And it has forever. It used to be a go-kart place.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:23 pm
And before it was a Go Kart place it was a massive lumber yard/home improvement center. DOT needs to get it in gear. At one time the place had semi trucks hauling huge loads and they entered directly off 6th.
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:28 pm
Didn’t realize the Tim Hortons lobby was so influential downstate.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:29 pm
===a year-long approval process when the store was built on a parking lot in front of another store seems a bit much.===
Hmmm, who handles Dunkin’s property tax work?
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:35 pm
“massive lumber yard/home improvement center.” Furrow. This was back when Menard’s was new and before Lowe’s opened.
Comment by Skeptic Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:36 pm
Thanks Skeptic. Bingo
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:38 pm
Yes, this is the best IDOT can do and it will never get better.
Comment by Back to the Future Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:42 pm
what gets measured, gets done.
Set a goal of processing half of all requests at IDOT within 45 days and watch it happen.
This is the same issue that you have in the AJ Freund case.
The caseworker is evaluating his work on whether he followed procedures.
The public is evaluating his work based on outcomes.
Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 1:44 pm
Why would you build a building without knowing you had access? I think there is more to the story here and before everyone bashes IDOT it would make sense to get some facts.
Comment by What's in a name? Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 2:05 pm
Look for the sticky hidden hand of Mel-O-Cream behind this conspiracy…s/
Comment by d. p. gumby Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 2:23 pm
The bigger question is, will there be a Baskin-Robins attached? Unless there’s a place off the beaten path, that side of town is devoid of icecream shops.
Comment by NoMoreMC Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 2:35 pm
There’s a truck stop looking at Marion since at least late last year. They were waiting IDOT approval on a sign. I wonder if they are dealing with the same issue.
Comment by Downstate Illinois Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 3:02 pm
The longer it takes the better off nearby folks are. A DD opened in out little berg and the quality of product is so sad, frozen donuts brought in heated up and frosted ugh.. They also have a Baskin Robbins attached and that is sad as well. If it never opens the people will be happier and healthier.
Comment by Unle Ernie Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 3:10 pm
ken dunkin can not come back to springfield, oops wrong dunkin
Comment by jayzblue Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 3:15 pm
Many years ago when I ran a regulatory program in another state we were required by law to respond to all applications within 30 days. Owners/developers were constantly complaining to the director and legislators about long delays which their engineer blamed on delays in my program. (Frequently the engineer did not respond in a timely fashion to our requests.)
I solved that issue by copying the owner/developer on all letters to their consulting engineers asking for more information. Then I really got in trouble when the politically connected consultants complained. Sometimes you can’t win
Comment by very old soil Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 3:31 pm
If this was preventing Tim Hortons from coming to Illinois I would lead the march myself.
OneMan loves him some Timbits.
Comment by OneMan Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 3:32 pm
It’s an even bigger problem when competing for businesses that are regional. If Dunkin’ wants into a certain market, obviously they have to build on what’s available, which may not be much.
But if an industrial player, for example, has an issue–they can potentially just skip the hassle and pick another location. That does happen, and it hurts. Or a company has to send coin to remedy the issue, which affects their growth/marketing, etc–a serious problem for start-ups and new business.
Comment by Liandro Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 3:44 pm
IDOT is the antithesis of economic development. It’ll take them a year and more than half a dozen engineers to review a half million dollar project, then complain they don’t have the resources to review in a timely fashion.
Comment by Shemp Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 4:06 pm
Wondered what the hold up was. Should have figured it was the state. Maybe that juicy new contract will motivate them to work a bit faster.
Comment by Captain Obvious Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 5:52 pm
===The caseworker is evaluating his work on whether he followed procedures. The public is evaluating his work based on outcomes.===
Unfortunately many agencies have one eye on the potential audit findings that focus on process and compliance, not outcomes.
Comment by IT Guy Monday, Jun 24, 19 @ 7:31 pm