Planner seeks solutions to Wawa traffic issues Mercantante looks at methods to calm traffic near site BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN - Township Planner Anthony Mercantante is looking for ways to alleviate traffic congestion in the area of a proposed Wawa on Route 35. Mercantante's search for solutions was initiated by the Township Committee, which referred residents' objections to the proposedWawa gas station to the planner and to the Planning Board. At the Middletown Township Committee meeting Feb. 19, residents of the area near the site of the proposed Wawa submitted a petition with 729 signatures opposing the application. An application has already been approved for a Wawa convenience store/gas station on Route 36 east andAppleton Avenue in Leonardo. The second application being considered by the Planning Board is for a site on the corner of Route 35 north and Old Country Road, which is now occupied by the Shiki Japanese steakhouse. In the petition titled "Isn't One Wawa in Middletown Enough?" residents stated their opposition to the second Wawa application and proposed an ordinance amending zoning rules that would prohibit the construction of gas stations within 200 feet of a residence, school or other place of public assembly. The ordinance proposed by the residents would also bar gas stations from occupying properties with rivers, streams or other natural body of water. At the Planning Board's March 5 meeting, Mercantante updated the board on the situation and the residents' proposed ideas. "It's [the rezoning] not a practical solution," Mercantante told the board. "But there are other ideas that I would like to present to you." Hewas unable to attend the committee's Feb. 19 where issues about the Wawa were raised by residents looking for answers. Committeeman Thomas Wilkens told residents that at the meeting the committee could not give an opinion on the matter since they have a representative, DeputyMayor Pamela Brightbill, who sits on the Planning Board. He told the residents that the board and Mercantante were the ones to speak to first before coming to the committee. Mercantante said that he is preparing a report for the Planning Board on the application for its April 2 meeting. In the report, he would give suggestions on how to control the traffic problems that already exist in the area and prevent future traffic problems fromarising. One suggestion is to change how Old Country Road is linked to Route 35. "You can take a look at Old Country Road and look at a possibility of eliminating the intersection and creating a culde sac," Mercantante said. "That would alleviate a lot of the traffic concerns." He said that a master plan amendment would be needed. "By creating this cul-de-sac we will significantly eliminate a lot of the high traffic issues that would arise,"Mercantante said. "People have been using that road as a shortcut, which creates a lot of traffic for people living in the area. With concerns that the Wawa alone will create more traffic, this is a way to help the traffic problem." He also suggested creating a change where drivers would not be able to turn from Route 35 onto Harmony Road and alleviate traffic in that area as well. "Over the next few days I will be gathering information to give you," Mercantante said. "So in April when we discuss this matter, we will have a full understanding of what we can do with the surrounding areas." Mercantante said that redeveloping the site and examining the master plan is something that would need to be done. This matter is actually pretty timely as to what we are looking to do in other developments," Mercantante said. "Unless we do a redevelopment of that site we are going to have traffic issues in that area."