Chick-Fil-A Gets Approval To Build In Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, NJ— Chick-fil-A is officially coming to Bridgewater.

On Tuesday night, the Township Planning Board unanimously approved the application at the long-vacant former Ruby Tuesday location at the Bridgewater Towne Center off Route 202.

"We look forward to dining at your restaurant here in town," said Board Chairman Maurizio Vescio following the vote.

"I'm grateful for Chick-fil-A’s professionalism throughout the process and willingness to address all of the concerns as much as possible," said Board Vice Chair Ashley Sikora. "I am sick of looking at that empty building. I live right past there so I drive by it every single day and I just look at the real estate opportunity for another business to come in - so I am excited about it."

The application will demolish the existing one-story masonry building within the shopping center and construct a new standalone 4,989-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant with a drive-thru with two lanes and 29 queuing spaces.

At previous meetings, concerns were raised by planning board members that there was only one access point into and out of the site and worries of how customers would exit the property to get to Route 202.

At the start of the meeting on Tuesday, Michael Silbert (an attorney with DiFrancesco Bateman, who is representing Chick-fil-A) unveiled a revised site plan to address the Board's concerns.

"We removed the partial bypass lane and replaced it with an escape driveway at the northeast corner of the site. That addresses any concerns related to a singular pinch point and provides an alternate means of egress out of the site," said Silbert.

Additionally, Silbert said Chick-fil-A "added Route 202 wayfinding signage at the intersection of the extension driveway in the pad site. This encourages right turns out of the site to mitigate traffic concerns related to Town Center Road."

Lastly, the applicant "took feedback from the Board and installed a grass paver with a rollover cub at the southwest corner of the site to enhance emergency access to the site."

"The emergency access… that was my suggestion, I am glad to see it. I am glad to see that it works on the site in the event of a medical emergency it would allow us to get an ambulance or a police car to the front door of the restaurant very quickly," said Kirsh.

"I do think it is an improved plan. I think they’ve addressed several of the concerns that the Board raised at prior meetings," said Vescio.

Penny Wolf, who lives around the corner in the Bradley Gardens area off Tiffin Place, expressed concerns with traffic at the shopping center since it is already busy with shoppers of Wegmans and contractors going to Home Depot.

"I think having the drive-thru is a real problem," said Wolf. "You are going to have to put an officer there because there will be traffic problems... It would be better if you put it where TGIFridays is. This only has one way in and out."

"As a person who lives by and goes in that shopping center, it's going to cause me great grief," said Wolf.

Kirsh noted that as part of Chick-fil-A's launch plan they will pay at their own expense for traffic guidance as needed during the opening period.

"Overall I do like the application," said Kirsh. "I do appreciate the flexibility throughout our multiple hearings to hear the interest and concerns of the board members."

Previous Reporting:

• Traffic Flow For Proposed Chick-Fil-A In Bridgewater Discussed
• 'Improved' Traffic Light Proposed As Part Of Bridgewater Chick-Fil-A Plan
• 'Excitement' Builds Ahead Of Proposed Chick-Fil-A In Bridgewater

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