Hyattsville Council Concerned Over Traffic, Market Saturation

Representatives of the in Riverdale Park brought their project before the Hyattsville City Council and were met with concerns over retail saturation, traffic and storm water management.

“We’re excited about the prospect of bringing the first Whole Foods to Prince George’s County,” said Cafritz attorney Chip Reed. “If we build it, [Whole Foods] will definitely come.

The project will lead with the retail part of it and developers hope to have Whole Foods open by the end of 2014, Reed said.

Hyattsville Council President Matt McKnight (Ward 3) voiced concerns over the impact the project could have on traffic in the area, which is less than a mile from the Hyattsville border on U.S. Route One.

According to developers, the site would have one entrance north of Van Buren Street and one south of that. The State Highway Administration has recommended that the southern access be a right turn in and the northern access be a right turn out.

As for traffic, a study commissioned by Cafritz determined that the first phase of the project would add about 500 additional trips—inbound and outbound combined—during peak travel time.

Phases one and two would add a total of about 900 to 950 additional peak time trips, developers said.

For more information about what the Cafritz representatives discussed with the Hyattsville council, search #HyattsvilleCityCouncil on Twitter.

Also, you can find out all you need to know about this development by reading or by searching “Cafritz” on Hyattsville Patch.