Wally's Breaks Ground on New Travel Plaza in Independence, Missouri

The massive new Wally's travel center will bring jobs and tourism to the I-70 and Noland Road intersection.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:19pm

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A highly stylized, geometric Art Deco illustration depicting the grand scale and sweeping architecture of a modern travel plaza, with smooth gradients, towering forced perspectives, and sleek, streamlined forms, capturing the conceptual energy and ambition of the new Wally's development.The new Wally's travel plaza in Independence, Missouri will bring a bold, modern vision for the Great American Road Trip to this key commercial corridor.Fenton Today

Wally's, a Midwestern chain of large travel plazas, celebrated the groundbreaking for its new 50,000-square-foot location in Independence, Missouri. The $40 million project will feature 80 fuel pumps, 20 high-speed electric vehicle chargers, and is expected to create 175-200 new jobs. The new Wally's travel center will revitalize an area that had previously fallen into blight and crime.

Why it matters

The new Wally's travel plaza represents a major investment and redevelopment of a long-vacant site near the busy I-70 and Noland Road interchange in Independence. This project will breathe new life into an area that had become an 'eyesore' and 'magnet for crime and vagrancy', according to local residents. The travel center is expected to bring increased tourism and economic activity to the region.

The details

Wally's received final approval in October 2025 for the new 50,000-square-foot travel center, which will include 80 fuel pumps and 20 high-speed electric vehicle chargers. As part of the project, Wally's will fund various road improvements, including extending entrance and exit ramps, adding lanes to the Noland Road overpass, and realigning an intersection. The company says it will invest roughly $40 million into the overall project.

  • Wally's received final approval for the project in October 2025.
  • The groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 2, 2026.
  • Wally's expects the new travel plaza to be completed by the end of summer 2027.

The players

Wally's

A Midwestern chain of massive travel plazas that dubs itself the 'Home of the Great American Road Trip'.

Michael Rubenstein

The CEO of Wally's, who has been working on this project for the past four and a half years.

Jennie Vaught

An Independence City Councilmember who is excited to see the new Wally's travel center revitalize the area.

Becky Hake

A longtime Independence resident who is glad to see the former Kmart building, which had become an 'eyesore' and 'magnet for crime and vagrancy', being replaced by the new Wally's development.

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What they’re saying

“We are looking to be part of the group of companies that are going to come in and reinvest and make this a vibrant corridor once again. We think it has all of the ingredients to make that happen.”

— Michael Rubenstein, CEO, Wally's

“To see life brought back to this section, and right off the highway, the businesses are happy that they're going to be here. So, it's just nice to see that we're going to have a vibrant business here.”

— Jennie Vaught, Independence City Councilmember

“Get rid of this eyesore and get rid of the problems that have been developing here.”

— Becky Hake, Longtime Independence Resident

What’s next

Wally's expects the new travel plaza to be completed by the end of summer 2027.

The takeaway

The new Wally's travel center represents a significant investment and redevelopment of a long-vacant site in Independence, Missouri. This project will revitalize an area that had fallen into blight and crime, bringing new jobs, tourism, and economic activity to the region.