The situation surrounding a new CVS pharmacy appears to be moving forward.
The issue was discussed in-depth Monday night during the Honesdale Borough meeting when an official from the architectural firm representing CVS made a presentation to the council.
The proposal is to locate a new CVS Pharmacy at the corner of 4th Street and Main, utilizing the building which used to house DSFI in Honesdale.
Mary Ann Wervey of The Zaremba Group of Cleveland, Ohio, told the board that CVS plans to use 1.76 acres of the land. She said another 1.1 acres will be left for future development.
The pharmacy is to be 13,254 square feet with a double pharmacy drive through. There are 62 parking spots planned for the building. Wervey also said they have made agreements with local officials about the type of landscaping, bark benches, lighting and other features to fit aesthetically with the surroundings of downtown Honesdale. A good portion of the current building will be razed in order to make room for the main entrance and the parking area.
One of the biggest issues facing the new property is traffic flow in the area. A traffic plan has been submitted to PennDOT officials outlining the proposals by CVS.
Wayne Earley, zoning officer for the borough, said Monday night a “lot of work” has gone into making the plans and he feels it is moving in the right direction.
Wervey said the “biggest change” in the traffic flow is the main entrance to CVS will now be a continuation of Main Street. Persons driving east on Main will have the option to go straight into the parking lot of the new business.
What that also means is a third lane will be added to the existing roadway at Fourth and Main for traffic traveling east. Wervey said Main Street is wide enough to accommodate three lanes. The left lane, as it is now, will be for drivers to turn left, the middle lane will be to continue straight into the CVS parking lot and the third lane will be for right turns to head out of town south on PA 191 or to go to Terrace Street which is across the railroad tracks.
One concern, and it’s one that currently exists, is how tight the right-hand turn is off of Main Street. Wervey said the traffic study revealed that turning radius will not change from its present state.
The situation surrounding a new CVS pharmacy appears to be moving forward.
The issue was discussed in-depth Monday night during the Honesdale Borough meeting when an official from the architectural firm representing CVS made a presentation to the council.
The proposal is to locate a new CVS Pharmacy at the corner of 4th Street and Main, utilizing the building which used to house DSFI in Honesdale.
Mary Ann Wervey of The Zaremba Group of Cleveland, Ohio, told the board that CVS plans to use 1.76 acres of the land. She said another 1.1 acres will be left for future development.
The pharmacy is to be 13,254 square feet with a double pharmacy drive through. There are 62 parking spots planned for the building. Wervey also said they have made agreements with local officials about the type of landscaping, bark benches, lighting and other features to fit aesthetically with the surroundings of downtown Honesdale. A good portion of the current building will be razed in order to make room for the main entrance and the parking area.
One of the biggest issues facing the new property is traffic flow in the area. A traffic plan has been submitted to PennDOT officials outlining the proposals by CVS.
Wayne Earley, zoning officer for the borough, said Monday night a “lot of work” has gone into making the plans and he feels it is moving in the right direction.
Wervey said the “biggest change” in the traffic flow is the main entrance to CVS will now be a continuation of Main Street. Persons driving east on Main will have the option to go straight into the parking lot of the new business.
What that also means is a third lane will be added to the existing roadway at Fourth and Main for traffic traveling east. Wervey said Main Street is wide enough to accommodate three lanes. The left lane, as it is now, will be for drivers to turn left, the middle lane will be to continue straight into the CVS parking lot and the third lane will be for right turns to head out of town south on PA 191 or to go to Terrace Street which is across the railroad tracks.
One concern, and it’s one that currently exists, is how tight the right-hand turn is off of Main Street. Wervey said the traffic study revealed that turning radius will not change from its present state.
It was stated at the meeting that during the traffic study, it was determined the tires of many of the larger tractor-trailers which traverse that corner were leaving marks on the curb and sidewalk area on the southwest corner. The only way to solve that problem is to widen that portion of the intersection. Officials said because part of the property is privately owned, that would provide another obstacle.
Wervey said they could approach this issue in one of two ways. One would be for CVS to pursue that avenue alone or they could do it in partnership with the borough.
Councilman Nick Slish said he felt CVS “should approach the property owners and you pay for it.”
Another part of the plan is to have a left turn lane in the southbound lane of 191 at the intersection of Main Street. Wervey said it will be a “small, dedicated” turn lane.
One place where there will not be a turn lane is in the northbound lane of 191 at the Fourth Street intersection. The reason is the roadway is simply not wide enough. This could cause some confusion because there will be cars turning right off of 191 into the new CVS parking lot.
No time frame was given to when the final plans might be approved. In fact, no motions were made at all and a special meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5 will be held at borough hall to consider the matter further.