ShopRite Traffic Expert Presents Findings Before Planning Board

Traffic congestion and the proposed installation of a traffic light were the main points of discussion at Wednesday night's Planning Board meeting as Inserra Supermarkets presented follow-up traffic data and testimony relating to attempts to build a 62,174-square-foot ShopRite on the corner of Wyckoff and Greenwood Avenues.

At an earlier request of Planning Board members, the Inserra development team agreed to pursue discussions with Bergen County regarding a proposed traffic signal at the intersection of Wyckoff and Greenwood Avenues to improve driver wait times and pedestrian safety. Inserra has agreed to fund, coordinate and install the traffic light.

According to Inserra, current “as-is” conditions warrant a traffic light at the corner of Wyckoff and Greenwood avenues as vehicles are currently experiencing delays of more than 50 seconds. The traffic light would also create numerous artificial gaps for turning vehicles, including those entering/exiting St. Elizabeth’s Church and School and the Wyckoff YMCA driveway.

Much of Wednesday evening was spent on the cross examination of traffic expert Jay Troutman of McDonough & Rea Associates Inc.  by Stop & Shop attorney Gail Price of Price Meese. Stop & Shop stands as an objector to the ShopRite hearings.

Troutman discussed his full day traffic count study conducted on February 17 at the intersection of Wyckoff and Greenwood Avenues. Troutman said the data has been submitted to Bergen County, which would be responsible for approving the traffic light installation. Among his findings Troutman testified at the closest intersections of Wyckoff and Clinton the installation of a traffic light could add an additional three vehicles a minute at the location during a weekday afternoon.  That number, he said, would grow to four to five vehicles a minute on a Saturday.

"The long and short of it is the (traffic) impact will not be significant," Troutman said.

Among the questions raised by the board were the impact the traffic signal may have on nearby businesses such as Hartgers Jewelers located near the intersection and how railroad traffic might interplay with the proposed traffic light. Troutman indicated the impact on nearby businesses would be minimal, but acquiesced in a worst case scenario traffic patterns could be adversely impacted when a train pulls through depending on the length of the train.

"In an extreme situation when all of the planets align, it may take a couple of (traffic light) cyles to get the Northbound traffic sorted out," Troutman said.

Under cross examination by Price, Troutman also admitted he hadn't reviewed the township's zoning code prior to conducting the study.

"Mr. Troutman was unaware of the Wyckoff traffic codes and presented a plan that does not comply with them," Price told Patch. "Without a plan in compliance, we are sure that the board will be challenged to make a decision."
 
She added, "I was professionally and personally puzzled as to how a big box development, generating over 700 cars an hour, could have neglected to study the impact on the neighboring commercial and residential areas including: Spring Meadow, the Post Office, Hartgers, St. Elizabeth’s, the YMCA and surrounding intersections."

The Planning Board will hold a special meeting on March 16 for continued testimony on the issue.