Lake Hopatcong residents won’t have to travel as far to satisfy that 3 a.m. ice cream craving once the new Quick Chek on Route 15 opens on Oct. 16. And with the new store comes a new traffic light at the intersection of Route 15 North and Bowling Green Parkway, funded entirely by Quick Chek. Several residents are happy to see the addition of that traffic light.

“I’m glad to have a light up there,” said Evelyne Waclawicz on Jefferson Patch’s Facebook page. “That’s a nasty place, always accidents.”

“The light will slow down some of the speeders on 15 North,” April Leaver said.

The light is scheduled to become operational on the same day the store opens, according to John Schaninger, Quick Chek's vice president of sales and marketing.

Customers will be able to enter the store from Route 15 North and South. Jefferson Township business administrator said that customers can leave the store and go directly onto Route 15 South or onto Bowling Green Parkway and then to Route 15 North.

The store is scheduled to have a ribbon cutting and coffee toast on Oct. 15 at 4 p.m., but won’t officially open the doors until the following morning at 5 a.m. After that, according to Schaninger, it will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The new store will offer free coffee for the first two weeks, no purchase necessary. In addition, according to Schaninger, it will offer free soda to anyone under five feet tall.

“We want to cater to the children as well as their parents,” Schaninger said.

While Quick Chek is trying to cater to new customers, not everyone is happy about the township’s newest addition.

Danielle Hatch doesn’t think a new gas station is necessary.

“I think the last thing Jefferson needs is another gas station,” she said on Patch’s Facebook page. “We do not need five in less than a mile of each other. “

Frances Grebenstein agreed.

“We already have seven gas stations on Route 15. Don’t think we need another one,” she said.

However, it’s not all bad, according to Patch’s Facebook followers.

“It will bring a few new jobs, so that is a plus,” Grebenstein said.

And in a nod to rising gas prices, John Perry offered his opinion.

“As long as gas isn’t $8.99 a gallon, it should be okay,” he said.

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