Newly Approved Wawa In Schuylkill Township Angers Residents

SCHUYLKILL TOWNSHIP, PA — The controversial proposal to build a super Wawa on Route 23 in Schuylkill Township received preliminary approval from the board of supervisors last week, as one of the longest running debates in the township comes to a head.

The new 10 pump gas station and 24-hour, 6,000 foot convenience store will replace the former Exxon at 799 Valley Forge Road, near the intersection with N. Whitehorse Road.

The zoning board approved all variances proposed by Wawa, including location of parking spaces, the size of the building, landscaping and sign location, and the location of the fueling canopy.

Residents have many concerns, but chief among them is traffic to an already congested area. These concerns have been multiplied by a simultaneous proposal for a new Sheetz at the nearby former location of Royal Bank.

That proposal is still under consideration, but the notion of a dueling Wawa and Sheetz on a stretch of road that can see intense congestion at rush hour has alarmed some locals.

The advocacy group Protecting Schuylkill Township noted all night light pollution, decreased local home value, and loss of a natural buffer between the road and nearby neighborhood as just a few of the other concerns.

"Increased traffic and congestion in the area as motorists enter and exit the store near an already-busy intersection," the group states. "More traffic as commuters adjust their route to stop at Wawa. Neighborhood safety risks as motorists detour through neighborhoods on Anderson and Kleyona to avoid the congested intersection."

The store will also bring with it 50 parking spaces.

Exact timing for the project remains unclear. Following the conditional use application approval last week, Wawa submitted their Land Development Plan for further review by the township.