For years, at the intersection of Route 202-206, where it meets Washington Valley Road leading east and Burnt Mills Road leading west, the southwest corner was conspicuously empty, having been occupied by a succession of gas stations.
Across from that location occupying the other three corners of the intersection are an Exxon Station; a shopping center with an A&P as the anchor store; a liquor store, a sandwich shop and other small businesses.
Unless memory fails me, a local Bedminster newspaper once reported that Bedminster officials had considered setting this site aside, removing it from consideration for business development, perhaps as a green zone or a small park. That was and is a perfect use for an already overly congested corner.
No matter: the large investment conglomerate and banking house of JPMorgan Chase seems to have prevailed upon Bedminster that it would be a better idea to add to the vehicular clutter at this intersection.
Consider this: A perfectly adequate Bank of America office sits within an athlete’s stone’s throw from the new Chase branch under construction. Just a block north in the Hills Shopping Center, there is another perfectly fine Peapack-Gladstone branch.
But I suppose that Bedminster officials have felt the need for another giant financial institution to set up shop near the Bridgewater Township border at what is one of the worst possible locations in Pluckemin and Somerset County – more intrusive construction where we don’t need it.
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