BERLIN – Town officials are seeking a solution to traffic issues associated with Dunkin Donuts.
Berlin Planning Commission members have asked town staff to work with the connections of the Brittingham Square, the Food Lion shopping center on Old Ocean City Boulevard, to address stacking related to the Dunkin Donuts drive-thru. The drive-thru configuration was approved by the commission when plans for the store were finalized in 2015.
“What are we doing to do about something that we approved that’s not working out well?” commission member Ron Cascio said.
Cascio brought up the issue at last Wednesday’s meeting. He said he’d seen traffic backed up on William Street because there were so many vehicles waiting in line at the drive thru.
“We’ve got to do something,” he said.
Other commission members echoed his concerns and noted that traffic was particularly backed up there in the morning. Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood agreed and noted that in addition to cars stacking on William Street, he’d also seen cars backed up toward Route 113.
“It’s bad,” he said.
Fleetwood said one solution could be pushing Dunkin Donuts customers to the Old Ocean City Boulevard entrance to the shopping center. He said the line of drive-thru cars could then taper around the parking lot.
“Somebody’s got to figure it out,” Cascio said.
Planning Director Dave Engelhart said he’d reach out to the owner of the plaza.
“I’ll talk to him and see what we can come up with,” he said.
