By Bonnie Adams, Government Editor
Westborough – A proposed drive-through for the Dunkin” Donuts store located at 35 East Main St. was the subject of a site-plan review during the Board of Selectmen's Aug. 9 meeting. During the discussion, town officials in attendance, including three selectmen, cited their concerns that this type of project would present complications at that particular location.
Selectman Leigh Emery shares those concerns. The store, which was opened in 2002, is located in what she called “one of the worst possible spots in Westborough for traffic.”
The store is on Route 30, near the town's rotary and Baystate Commons. It is also close to the CSX bridge, which has been the scene of many truck accidents over the years. To access the store, drivers must turn off Route 30, onto Colonial Drive and then into the parking lot.
The original plans in 2002 had called for a drive-through to be installed, but those plans were not approved back then due to issues including conservation and open space concerns. The new proposal would have the drive-through lane start across from the parking lot entrance, and then loop around the building and exit back out to Colonial Drive.
During the public hearing, the board heard from Robert Michaud, a managing principal for MDM Transporation Consultants Inc. He had been hired by Dunkin” Donuts to do a peer review of the potential traffic situation, if a drive-through were installed at the site. There were a number of significant problems, he told the board, such as that a bypass lane was not included in the plan. This would cause drivers to “commit to staying in the drive-through lane” whether they wanted to or not. There was also the possibility during peak times, for cars to be backed up onto Colonial Drive and even Route 30.
The three selectmen all expressed their concerns regarding the project.
“Where will delivery trucks park?” Emery asked the Dunkin” Donuts officials in attendance. “The parking lot is tight there as it is – where will cars parked there back up? They may end up backing into the drive-through lane.”
Board of Selectmen Chair Lydia Goldblatt said she was most concerned about the emergency personnel who may have to either get to one of the other businesses located on Colonial Drive or to Dunkin” Donuts itself.
The nearby bridge was also a concern, she said, especially when there is a lot of snowfall accumulated underneath the structure.
“When snow falls, it narrows that area even more,” she said. The Dunkin” Donuts officials in attendance, as well as their attorney, Donald Borenstein, and Michael Scott of Waterman Design Associates, all said while they agreed with some of the concerns, there were others that they did not.
The traffic study they had done, Borenstein said, indicated that traffic would not be as significant a concern and that the site could indeed operate safely with a drive-through.
“A bypass lane is typical but not universal,” he added. “Not all fast food restaurants have one.”
Town Manager Jim Malloy told the board that not all town officials had had a chance to review the completed traffic study and other necessary documentation. As a result, the hearing will be continued Tuesday, Sept. 13.
In other business, the board approved a change for the Common Victualer Permit held by the Mandarin Restaurant. The restaurant, which was located at 57 East Main St., is now at its new location, 132 Turnpike St.