Former Opus warehouse approved for expansion
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

FILE PHOTO The former Opus warehouse, as seen from Davidsons Mill Road in South Brunswick, will undergo a nearly 200,000-square-foot expansion.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - The Planning Board approved a large warehouse expansion off Davidsons Mill Road, with officials vowing that they would seek new, creative ways to control the resultant truck traffic.

The board unanimously voted to approve a nearly 190,000-square-foot expansion to the 413,112-square-foot former Opus warehouse during its May 16 meeting. The project will add about 180,000 square feet of extra warehouse space, as well as parking and loading docks, and 9,500 square feet of offices. An additional infiltration basin on the site will also be built where, currently, there sits a mature forest.

Representatives from the firm, Industrial Developments International (IDI), said the company will comply with the township's tree replacement ordinance and have also promised to leave the largest, more mature trees standing. IDI's planner, Kathryn Gregory, noted that the expansion is far preferable to the company than building an entire new facility.

"We're not building a whole new building on a greenfields site ... we're just expanding this building," Gregory said.

Truck traffic took up much of the discussion at the hearing. According to the firm's traffic engineer, John Harter, vehicles exiting the site go south, on to Davidsons Mill Road. If the drivers turn left on to that street, they eventually hit Cranbury South-River Road, a large, multilane highway. If drivers turn right, however, they will eventually wander into a residential neighborhood that has long ago lost its patience for big-rig encroachment of any kind.

"I don't know if it's the fault of the warehouse people or what, but something must be done to keep those trucks off Davidsons Mill Road," said Bill Klimowicz, a resident of that road.

"You have traffic from these warehouses coming down Davidsons Mill Road ... and it's chaos," he added.

Several measures have been taken in the past to address this problem, including left-turn-only signs and a median that was to physically block trucks from making a right. Since the warehouse was first approved, however, Klimowicz said that the signs are routinely ignored and the median run over. The result is large tractor-trailers going 50 mph down a small, two-lane road, leading to noise, vibration and wandering trucks making U-turns in driveways. This has led to a great deal of exasperation from residents who feel the problem grows with each warehouse.

"Whatever the signage is ... it's not big enough, it's not strong enough to keep the trucks off Davidsons Mill Road. It's just not working and this adds to it," said Klimowicz.

Mayor Frank Gambatese, who also sits on the Planning Board, recognized that truck traffic on Davidsons Mill Road is a problem that needs a real, lasting solution.

"I don't see any reason why trucks can make that right-hand turn," said Gambatese.

Other members of the board agreed with this assessment, noting that if current enforcement isn't working, stronger measures are needed. After much discussion, the board and IDI agreed that the firm would conduct a study of the intersection to find ways to keep trucks from going right on it, with professionals presenting their findings to the board within 60 days. Gambatese noted that if the study is sound, it could be used as a model for controlling truck traffic for all warehouses on Davidsons Mill Road. The lawyer for the firm, Glen Pantell, said that IDI would cooperate fully with the township in trying to find a more permanent solution.

"We're willing to work with the township engineer to come up with something more aggressive and creative," said Pantell.

After the meeting, Klimowicz said he appreciated the efforts of the board and firm to better control truck traffic, but felt that such moves would be a drop in the bucket.

"This attempt to control truck traffic is better than nothing at all, but it is like putting a tiny bandage on a huge wound. As more warehouses go into operation, lost trucks and those looking for routes other than the turnpike will continue to plague the eastern section of this township," Klimowicz said.

He suggested that Davidsons Mill Road be made a dead-end near the turnpike, and the overpass should be left for emergency vehicles only.