Traffic Complaints Reach NJDOT Ears; Left-Turn Ban Coming At Route 88 Wawa In Brick

BRICK, NJ — If you're among the residents who expressed concerns about traffic from the new Wawa at Route 88 and Jack Martin Boulevard, relief is coming.

The Brick Township Council passed a resolution at the Nov. 23 council meeting banning left turns into and out of the Wawa onto Route 88 — a resolution that came at the request of the DOT, Mayor John G. Ducey said.

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"During the process it was brought up to the DOT that it's going to be a lot of traffic because of people making lefts out of there on to 88 and then also people making lefts into the Wawa off of 88," Ducey said, referring to the application process that happened when approval to build the Wawa was sought.

Ducey said town officials and residents had expressed traffic concerns during the zoning board hearings that were brushed off by traffic experts who felt the design would encourage customers of the Wawa to use Jack Martin Boulevard.

That didn't happen, and complaints about traffic issues were almost immediate, with Ducey fielding numerous comments during a Facebook live less than a week later.

"When you live here, you know what the problems are going to be when you see a proposal. We just need some help from these other agencies to agree," Ducey said at the time.

Ducey said the Facebook live discussion and articles written about the traffic complaints got the NJDOT's attention, and help arrived quickly, as NJDOT officials contacted Ducey on Nov. 23 to ask for the ban, he said. Read more: New Wawa In Brick Generating Traffic Complaints

"The DOT reached out to us today and they asked the council if they would pass a resolution to ban lefts going in and out of the Wawa off of Route 88," Ducey said. With a council resolution in place, the DOT will put up signs that it is now illegal to make lefts at that Route 88 entrance.

Now, Wawa customers who want to get into the parking lot from Route 88 will have to make the left at Jack Martin Boulevard to access that driveway, and customers who want to go east on Route 88 after buying their gas and coffee or their Shorties will have to go out the Jack Martin Boulevard exit to the light to make the left on Route 88.

"I know there was a number of residents that called the DOT as well," Ducey said, "but also thank you to the DOT for being flexible and reversing their decision with regards to allowing those lefts in and out."

"Now everybody will end up using the Jack Martin driveway the way it was designed," he said.

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