Proposal For Supersized New Hope Wawa Moves Forward

By Charlie Sahner – New Hope Free Press | Sat. June 24, 2017

New Hope Borough Council stayed largely on the sidelines early this week as Wawa’s engineer detailed plans for a new “superstore” that would straddle the border between New Hope and Solebury on Sugan Road.

Approval from both municipalities is required.

The current Wawa store at the corner of West Bridge Street and Sugan Road in New Hope is reputedly one of the busiest locations for the privately-held, secretive convenience store chain.

So, it comes as no surprise that Wawa would like to expand its local footprint, and their proposed superstore across from the New Hope Eagle Fire Company would sit on 3.5 acres of land adjacent to Route 202, divided evenly between New Hope and Solebury. The store itself would encompass 5,500 square feet, with around 70 parking spaces, and the gasoline service areas would feature six pumps.

Satellite view of proposed superstore site.

New Hope officials have begun their preliminary review, and an initial presentation last Tuesday by Adam Benosky of Bohler Engineering was relatively uneventful.

On its surface, the proposed gas-and-go megastore could enhance local tax revenue, generate jobs, and break up the local Lukoil monopoly at the pump. But similar development plans have met resistance in the past on environmental issues like noise, increased traffic and exhaust, nighttime illumination, and potential leakage of petroleum-based products into the local aquifer.

Detailed sketch of proposed superstore.

The superstore would be accessible from N. Sugan Road and both directions of Route 202.

Wawa is the largest convenience store chain in Pennsylvania, and also operates in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and Virginia.