Is a Gas Station Traffic Study Backed Up By Reality?

Cars and trucks moved steadily along Monroe Turnpike late Friday afternoon, and as early evening approached, rush hour traffic coming in from Trumbull made the lines of vehicles waiting at red lights at the intersection with Century Plaza shopping center longer.

The intersection also takes on vehicles turning into and pulling out of the Prushko Shell station across the street.

Next to Shell, Monroe Gas LLC plans to build a five-bay-10-pump gas station for Stop & Shop at 528 Monroe Turnpike.

John Plante, a consultant hired by Monroe Gas, says by having a parking lot with only one entrance and two exits — one only allowing right turns onto Route 111, along with a left turn lane on 111, the new development would have "no significant adverse impact" on traffic flow.

But some residents and commissioners doubted his findings at last week's zoning hearing. Mark Antinozzi of Fan Hill Road went as far as to call it "science fiction".

During last Thursday's public hearing on the zoning application, Planning & Zoning Commissioner Jane Flader said of the turn lane, "I don't see how that one little line will help traffic."

Plante said, "We're not proposing to mitigate any existing traffic conditions. We're mitigating for the impact of our proposal. The goal is to not impact the existing condition — providing a left turn lane to get our traffic out of the flow through traffic."

When Plante said the traffic plan provides an "acceptable level of service", Flader said, "Not for the people who drive it it doesn't. Lights never seem to be synced. There's constant back up."

Flader said she cannot see how adding a new gas station would not impact traffic.

Commissioner Karen Martin asked what happens when traffic backs up on 111 as she claims it does on Kings Highway as people wait to turn onto Villa Avenue to get gas at the Stop & Shop in Fairfield.

Public Comments On Traffic

Lucy Hanson, who said she lives in the area, spoke in favor of the Stop & Shop gas station during the public comment period, saying, "There will be traffic no matter what goes in."

But much of the comments from those in opposition were complaints about traffic.

John Plavnicky of Monroe said some drivers coming out of Prushko's Shell are confused by the fact that the traffic light for Century Plaza does not line up with the gas station's driveway. Three years ago, he said one driver broadsided his motorcycle there, causing him to sustain seven broken ribs and multiple leg fractures.

Plavnicky expressed his belief that a large Stop & Shop gas station next to Shell will only make a dangerous area worse.

Ronald Bunovsky said, "The traffic situation ... it's terrible. It's a terrible section of road."

Mark Antinozzi said vehicles are not allowed to turn left into Edith Wheeler Memorial Library from Route 111, adding he always sees drivers doing it anyway. He expressed doubt that the driveway where the Stop & Shop gas station would only allow traffic to exit would be honored by all.

The discounts on gas from points Stop & Shop's customers rack up on their store cards would make the proposed development "a destination gas station", getting more use from drivers going there to save money, according to Antinozzi. He expressed doubt of Monroe Gas LLC's traffic study, calling it "science fiction".