Board Asks for More Traffic Studies at Dunkin Donuts

After hearing concerns from members of the Land Use Board about the prospect of an increase in traffic, the representatives for an application to make changes at the Shell gas station and Dunkin Donuts on Route 206 changed their requests—but the board was still not satisfied.

The applicant returned to the board May 9 to discuss changes to the application, including eliminating the two additional dispensers they had previously requested.

“Our intent was to try to get cars off Route 206,” said John Palus, engineer for the applicant. “I understand there was a concern that there would be too many cars so we have eliminated those two dispensers.”

Palus said they have also made a couple changes, moving dispensers away from Route 206 to allow for more ease of driving onto the property.

But Land Use Board chairman Lance Boxer said he is still concerned about the increase in size for the Dunkin Donuts, which is being planned as part of the application. The applicant was planning to take the office off the site and put it where one of the repair bays currently stands—the extra space left by moving that office will be given to Dunkin Donuts.

“The biggest issue for me is the doubling of the Dunkin Donuts,” he said. “When I look at the financials of Dunkin Donuts, there is a lot of business in the early morning.”

Boxer said he does not think the applicant has done a real count of how many people are coming in and out of the restaurant on a daily basis, creating extra traffic in the area that is already crowded during rush hour.

“When I go there at night, it’s like a demolition derby, and the idea that there is going to be a doubling of it which will drive lots of volume, that is a big issue for me personally,” he said.

Nicholas Verderese, traffic engineer for the applicant, said they are working to alleviate conflicts with the removal of some new dispensers, improving aisle widths on the site, and moving the air filling location to alleviate conflicts for use.

In addition, Verderese said, they will have designated nine spaces on the north side of the property for Dunkin Donuts only, which also brings people closer to the door that has been moved to the north side.

Verderese said he did a traffic study of the area at peak hours, namely 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. He found 130 vehicles coming on the property in the morning, and 90 in the evening.

With the expansion plans, Verderese said, they are assuming for an additional 15 vehicles on the site in the morning and six in the evening, plus 10 on Saturdays.

“We counted turning movements at all three driveways,” he said.

But Boxer said he does not think the engineer got a good enough sample of the people coming on and off the property, and he said he would think testing from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. would make more sense.

“Usually when we look at traffic, it’s predominant of the roadway, and we look at the peak times,” he said. “What would be helpful to me would be a more simple version of the counts. I think the crux of the approval would be on the comfort we have that the site can handle whatever additional traffic there is.”

But Verderese said they looked at the delta as represented by New Jersey Department of Transportation facts on traffic in the area to determine when the vehicles would be in the area.

Board member Clair Martin said the times estimated are not correct for people actually living in Bedminster.

“Everyone who lives here knows that traffic starts at 6:30 a.m. because people are heading to work,” he said. “We have much more traffic than in the times you’re talking about. Let’s talk about real times and real numbers.”

Boxer said he is concerned because the applicant is asking to expand on a site that is already constrained.

“This is a bigger deal because we think there are safety issues here when turning left, coming around Lamington,” he said. “We live with it every day.”

“It would be helpful if you took a week-long plan, and from that we have to figure out what is going to be the delta of doubling the Dunkin,” he added.

Boxer said he believes a more detailed traffic study is necessary in this case.

“There is a concern that we’re going to approve something that frankly is not going to have a good result,” he said. “From my perspective, you have to get that information to us before. Without clearing the traffic issue, we are never going to be able to approve this.”

Verderese said he would agree to go out for maybe three days of data, combining it with what he already has, and will look to get information from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Board member Kenneth Olsen said he is looking for some proof that the land can handle this addition to the facility.

“What I would be looking for is a compelling set of circumstances that address the feeling of safety that may or not be addressed by looking at road traffic patterns based on the expansion,” he said. “I don’t think it’s just a matter of Dunkin Donuts. We are already dealing with overtaxing the facility even if there is no change.”

With the additional information needed, the application has been continued to June 6, and the applicant is currently determining whether he would like to move forward with the application at all.