The Park Ridge City Council gave its approval for construction of a new Dunkin’ Donuts – that will have a drive through and replace another location that doesn’t – but the state still needs to OK the plans.
The new restaurant is planned to be built at 800 Higgins Road, at Brophy Avenue. Higgins Road is also Illinois Route 72 and maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Store owners had to seek City Council approval for the drive through, and this new location is expected to replace an existing Dunkin’ Donuts across Brophy Avenue that does not have a drive through.
The City Council approved the request at its July 7 meeting, though village leaders did express mild concerns about traffic on Higgins.
But, Community Development Director Drew Awsumb said bustling Higgins Road should be able to handle the traffic.
“In general, I think the way it’s designed will function safely and handle the capacity,” Awsumb said.
Customers using the drive through would enter from Higgins Road and then empty onto Brophy Avenue. However, motorists could still make a right turn onto Higgins, according to project plans. City leaders worried drivers would then attempt to zip across four lanes of traffic to make a left turn at the next traffic light to get to nearby Interstate 90.
Developer Reena Panjwani Khowaja, owner of Higgins Cumberland LLC, must get state approval for the plan.
“Is there a way to engineer it so a driver could not do that? Fly across all lanes of traffic so they can hang a left and get on the highway?” Mayor Marty Maloney asked.
Public Works Director Sarah Mitchell doubted “we can prevent that.”
But, in the end, City Council members seemed satisfied there wouldn’t be a big issue.
“If this were a new development and there weren’t a Dunkin’ Donuts across the street, I would have a lot more concerns,” said Alderman John Moran. “I’ve been there at times where I’ve parked in front of the neighbors’ houses on Brophy and this looks like getting away from that. … My biggest concern is the Higgins situation but that’s an IDOT [Illinois Department of Transportation] situation and not up to us to speculate.”
Additionally, at a recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting where a public hearing was held and commissioners agreed to recommend the project be approved, neighbors brought up noise concerns resulting from the drive through speaker. Khowaja assured the council the speaker volume would be kept low and turned down in the evening. She also agreed to fencing between the residential properties and the business.
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“We are business owners. We are developers, and we look forward to making this a development the community can be proud of,” she said.
According to city records, her company owns over a dozen Dunkin’ Donuts locations throughout the area. Alderman Joseph Steinfels said he thinks the development at the Brophy Avenue corner is good.
“In the end I think this is a positive for the south end of town,” he said.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.