Traffic Won't Increase Significantly Due to Stop & Shop, Expert Says
A testimony tells the town, traffic on Millburn Avenue will not increase much due to the proposed Stop & Shop. Tell us what you think in the comments.
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A traffic expert and principal engineer for Stop & Shop, Dan Disario, told the Zoning Board, in its most recent meeting, the construction of the proposed Stop & Shop on Millburn Avenue will not create much more traffic in town.
However, after a lengthly hearing, where most left, the few Millburn and Springfield residents that stayed argued it would.
"The fact that we are putting in a new supermarket at this site, is not going to all of a sudden create all of these new shopping trips to this supermarket," Disario said as his opinion in response to the public. The report he presented shows an under 10 percent increase in traffic on Millburn Avenue at peak hours.
Yet, the study did not examine traffic patterns at the intersections of Morris and Millburn Avenue or Short Hills and Millburn Avenue. The report only focused on traffic caused by the driveway entering the property, which Millburn has jurisdiction, Disario said.
The board and public asked multiple times about these other intersections. They said if those intersections are affected by the new food store, it could cause more traffic. Without that information it would be hard to make a decision, the board said.
Disario's response was the county and New Jersey Department of Transportation have already approved permits for it.
"The people that will come to this site, largely, is you, your neighbors hopefully, that are already shopping else where and simply make a decision to come here," Disario said. "So in terms of overall changes the traffic in the area, I don't anticipate significant changes."
The Stop & Shop is proposed for the old Saks Fifth Avenue location, at 92 Millburn Ave., which is in Springfield. Yet the reason the Millburn Zoning Board is involved, the township owns a 20-foot piece of land entering the property.
Stop & Shop plans to use that piece of property as a entrance and exit for its trucks, adding more trucks to Millburn Avenue. This would also require the trucks to make a right-hand turn from Morris Avenue to Millburn Avenue, which the board and residents have said could be an issue.
The number of trucks and times for delivery would be limited though, as per an agreement with Springfield. Trucks can only deliver between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Six to Eight tractor-trailers will deliver a day and between 16 and 23 vendor trucks, which are smaller.
Residents voiced their concerns about traffic on surrounding streets and increased traffic, from cars and trucks, on Millburn Avenue. What are yours?
Here's what the community has said on the issue:
Lardas Chuck
10:36 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
traffic will not be affected. If you want to discusds this with me I hjang out with diane every week day morning at bagel chateaux
Elm Wood
3:04 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Having grown up on Elmwood place and living in the area for the past 54 years
permitting Millburn ave to be the only egress for trucks is crazy . There are no less than 2 possibly 3 streets in Springfield which should empty into the Saks lot.If it is so god awful important to put a 6th super market in a 2.5 mile circle let it come through springfield. It will be their ratable so let them deal with the inconvience and expense. putting more preasure on the small merchants on Millburn ave is not healthy for Millburn business scene. Make a much better mixed use property with homes and a park then what is proposed .
James
8:26 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Typical Millburnite answer. Dont give a darn about the surrounding towns or their problems. You are nestled up in your tight little privelaged community. So sad.
CHP
3:36 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Pick your poison. Its a trophy piece of RETAIL property. What do you think should go there? If not a super market, a medical complex, strip mall. It will all create traffic relative to the empty building thats there now. I'll bet that when the super market gets approved the real estate agents will list a benefit of the homes in that area as "Walk to Supermarket".
J S Beckerman
3:49 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
While I am strongly in favor of S&S, I agree that relevant traffic concerns must be resolved to the satisfaction of Millburn residents.
WRR
9:52 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I too am in favor of S&S however, I question why Springfield has the sole opportunity to negotiate the # of truck deliveries and time frame for deliveries? Given that the primary egress for trucks is via Millburn, we should have an equal, if not greater say in the matter. Currently, the "arrangement" b/w Springfield and S&S is deliveries b/w 7-10am, Mon - Sat, as per article; which would take place at the epicenter of school and work commute times. Perhaps our TC should work to have a greater input on that matter. Deliveries should take place during off peak hours; late morning (post 9am) or pre dawn (before 7am).
Rogie
9:06 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Stop & Shop's traffic expert stated that an estimated 6,130 cars would visit the site daily. That means 12,300 car movements (in and out) on Millburn Avenue, resulting in more than 85,000 in a week. And that doesn't include the tractor trailers and vendor trucks making daily deliveries. To think already congested Millburn Avenue won't be seriously impacted is akin to denying climate change.
We still don't know why the S&S study never examined traffic during the morning rush when folks are heading to work and there are dropoffs at two schools, Millburn High and St. Rose Academy.
CD
5:13 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
... And I'll respect you in the morning.
Lee Goldberg
11:53 am on Friday, October 5, 2012
Why are the facts being accepted coming from S & S expert. Has anyone thought of bringing in a "independent" unbiased traffic consultant to testify.
Amy C.
8:34 am on Thursday, November 29, 2012
Traffic at Shop Rite on Morris Turnpike ( located near Bed, Bath & Beyond) has always been a nightmare. The parking lot is an accident waiting to happen. Opening a Stop & Shop would help ease the congestion at that Shop Rite....The Shop Rite located in Millburn is also a nightmare.