Seven Brew opening prompts traffic fixes, county to widen Raridan Road entrance; police to monitor peak periods

Council and municipal staff told residents on June 15 they are working with Seven Brew, county engineers and the police department to address heavy traffic at the new Raridan Road location.

Business Administrator Orick said the county has agreed conceptually to widen the Raridan Road entrance, proposing a cut to the curb and a 'pork-chop' island to allow a less sharp turn into the site. "They're going to be revising that entrance," Orick said, explaining the present 90-degree approach can cause backup when drivers enter.

Orick and other staff described short-term operational steps already taken: using the Westfield Avenue bypass lane to allow more ingress, placing cones and staff to close the left-turn if needed, and committing police officers to monitor peak giveaway times (the company ran free-drink promotions for its opening week). Council members said the giveaways are largely responsible for the initial surge and that the free items program runs through the current week.

Officials said the county must approve final plans, and the police will evaluate the left-turn access at a 90-day follow-up after the certificate of occupancy (CO) period; they stressed the council can direct closure earlier if safety conditions warrant. The administration also noted Seven Brew collected donations for first responders and a Newark animal shelter and pledged $1,700 to local emergency services.

Residents who raised speeding or routing concerns were told to report times to police for targeted enforcement; Captain Lot said traffic units operate during daytime hours and can be assigned to recurring problems.

Town staff urged patience during the initial operations/marketing period and said they are working with the county to finalize improvements quickly.