BRIDGEWATER, NJ — An applicant seeking to build a Starbucks restaurant on Route 22 has modified its drive-thru plans to address traffic concerns by the township zoning board.
The applicant Bridgewater Realty II LLC presented the modified plans at the Bridgewater Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting on Tuesday night.
Bridgewater Realty II LLC is seeking a D-1 variance needed for a drive-thru restaurant and also to determine if the ordinance permits a second, independent restaurant on the site if and when a single hotel is constructed on the property.
The original 2019 application on the former Days Inn and Houlihan’s property included a hotel and a Goddard children’s preschool. Both were to be built alongside Houlihan’s, which has since closed and is now being replaced with Stone Tavern. Read More: Stone Tavern Moves Closer To Opening New Bridgewater Location
The proposed Starbucks would replace the Goddard school. The application is proposing two access locations to the site, one on Route 22 and one on Morgan Lane.
Bridgewater Zoning Board members had previously expressed concerns over traffic backing up from the Starbucks drive-thru onto Route 22 similar to what is happening at the Dunkin location on Route 22 in Somerville.
The applicant’s engineer Robert Moschello presented the changes to address the traffic concerns which included widening the Route 22 entrance from 18 feet to 22 feet wide to add a left turn lane. This would allow traffic to turn right into the parking lot to access the restaurant or left to access the drive-thru.
“This way in terms of vehicles entering the site they would be able to split up. If they want to go into the building itself they can make a left and go to the parking area and if they want to go to the drive-thur they can make a right,” said Moschello.
Moschello said, that following concerns about cars stacking up, the plan was modified to push the drive-thru lanes further back into the property. This allowed room for about 24 cars to fit in the drive-thru lanes over the previous 18 to 20 cars.
Additionally, Moschello said they will be installing three digital signs that will change to indicate when the drive-thru is open or closed when the lanes become full.
“When both drive-thru lanes are full the loop detector will detect the cars at the end of the lanes and change the signage from open to closed in the drive-thru. Additional signs will also say please come into the cafe,” said Moschello.
One zoning board member said to the applicant, “You have gone to great lengths to make sure this traffic does not spill like the Somerville Dunkin Donuts right up the road that every day causes a traffic hazard.”
“I want to make sure when we are done with this hearing and we vote that we have the safest possible solution for members of the public to enjoy your Starbucks location,” said the board member.
Bridgewater Realty II LLC will submit a full site plan package with the changes and a complete traffic analysis to the zoning board by the first week of April.
The next hearing on the application is set for May 14 where the applicant’s traffic engineer and professional planner will testify and be open to questions from the public.
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