TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A traffic impact analysis review done by Boswell Engineering states that traffic to and from a proposed 17,100-square-foot strip mall “can be significantly higher” than estimates provided by the applicant, owing to restaurant space proposed on the site.
The Boswell Engineering review of a Dean & Dolan traffic impact analysis finds “a disconnect” with the plans filed, and notes that the traffic analysis only used “trip generation rates” for a proposed strip retail plaza, and not a restaurant use.
The next Zoning Board hearing is April 18, at Council chambers, in-person and on Zoom.
The Boswell review letter, dated March 21, was posted online late on March 23, two days after the March 21 hearing was postponed at the applicant’s request.
At a prior hearing, Zoning Board members approved an independent review of the traffic study, which found a peak-hour increase of 43 vehicles, which was viewed as not significant.
Gary Dean, the traffic engineer, said the increase was “inconsequential” to traffic volume at the intersection, noting the ongoing intersection upgrades being constructed by Bergen County. (Both Pascack Road and Washington Avenue are county roads.)
The Boswell review lists 15 concerns with the applicant traffic study’s findings and “requests a point-by-point written response to these comments.”
“With a portion of the site designated for restaurant rather than retail use, trip characteristics need to be identified and discussed. Hours of operation and numbers of trips need to be reflected. Weekday morning traffic counts were not collected and will be needed, if the sites will be opened during the morning periods,” states the review letter.
The Boswell letter also dings the traffic study for not accounting for a potential drive-through use on the site, recent traffic disruptions due to the Pascack–Washington intersection upgrades, and not taking into account the new traffic signal’s timing.
Moreover, the letter questions where the proposed retail plaza’s “banked parking” spaces exist, the turning radius for large semi-trailer trucks encroaching on parking and curbs, a utility pole and driveway that appear to be impediments along Washington Avenue, possible lane blockages from trucks turning from Pascack Road, a need to accommodate a front-loader refuse truck, and several issues with a plaza entry driveway along Washington Avenue.
“We welcome the opportunity to work with the County and the applicant on our comments, which may run counter to the County’s comments,” writes John Yakimic, township engineer, with Boswell Engineering.
The March 21 Zoning Board hearing was anticipated to offer testimony from the township’s engineer, Boswell Engineering, on an independent review of applicant 660 Pascack Realty LLC’s traffic study, prepared by Dean & Dolan of Somerville.
The study found an increase of 43 vehicles during peak travel times, which were deemed “inconsequential” to overall traffic volume, given recent improvements to the well-traveled intersection of two county roads.
Resident Michael Agnello, who has criticized the applicant’s traffic study and drainage basin calculations, which were used by NJDEP as one basis for removing an unnamed tributary running behind his home from protected status, said the Boswell review letter shows that the applicant was “only presenting the information that looks good for this project.”
Agnello said the Boswell review letter pointed out numerous discrepancies in how the applicant calculated traffic volumes and a proposed strip mall’s impacts on traffic flow.
He said the Boswell letter points out traffic flow concerns only found with an independent study of the applicant’s traffic analysis. He told Pascack Press he would also call for an independent study of how the waterway behind his home was removed from Category One status due to drainage basin calculations that changed over the years.
He said, “My argument is if the applicant did this with the traffic study, what did they do to the C1 waterway? Why is the township refusing to know if they misrepresented the waterway too?”
Agnello said that he has offered evidence that disputes the applicant’s drainage basin calculations. He claims the unnamed tributary requires 300-foot buffers to protect its water quality as it is a Category One waterway, which feeds into streams that enter into Oradell Reservoir.
Traffic Study Concerns
The Boswell review letter notes “a pavement marking detail for a drive-thru, but this type of operation is not mentioned in the (applicant) Traffic Impact Analysis. If a drive-thru is proposed, it needs to be evaluated to make sure the site can support this feature.”
The letter notes that the traffic data used in the analysis was done during ongoing intersection improvements. (Drivers were asked to avoid the intersection for long stretches in 2022 and recently while improvements continued, causing closures, detours and delays there.)
“Recent historical data should have been used,” says Boswell.
The review says the intersection’s new signal timing and sequencing should be used to customize the future traffic study impacts.
In requesting clarification on how many and where the proposed mall’s “banked” parking spaces will be, the letter asks, “Is it reasonable to assume that ‘shorter duration parking’ translates to more trips, since there will be higher turnover of those spaces?”
Moreover, Boswell questions the turning path/radius of large semi-trailer vehicles accessing the site from Pascack Road and Washington Avenue. It also notes a utility pole near the Washington Avenue entrance that needs moving or protecting.
“There is a potential that trucks accessing the site from Pascack Road will spillover into the adjacent through-lane if there are any vehicles waiting to enter. Trucks exiting the site from Pascack Road can potentially block lanes in the event they want to turn left onto Pascack Road,” states Boswell.
The town engineer notes that site drawings only indicate accommodating a rear-loading garbage truck, and not a front-loading garbage truck, which adds four feet. It notes, “The turning path for a front-loader should also be evaluated.”
The Washington Avenue driveway is “problematic” due to vehicles needing to come to a nearly complete stop before entering, “increasing the potential for rear-end collisions.” Moreover, as vehicles turn right onto Washington from Pascack.”this may cause unexpected conflict for vehicles turning then having to stop or near-stop for a vehicle entering the site.”
Also, the site’s Washington Avenue driveway is located where westbound through-lanes decrease and “may increase the potential for sideswipe collisions,” states Boswell.
The Boswell traffic study review letter can be found on the Zoning Board webpage under Four Season Town Square documents, listed as document number 34.