A 3rd entry point at Ferguson Township’s proposed Wawa? Officials hear proposal

A proposed Wawa location in Ferguson Township — one that was first made public in 2023 — is considering the possibility of adding a third entry point to the future convenience store and gas station, but area residents and members of the Ferguson Township Planning Commission expressed some traffic concerns earlier this week.

No timeline is yet available and construction has not yet started at 169 W. Aaron Drive, the 2.5-acre lot that once was the home of Sutliff Buick GMC Cadillac dealership and Delaney Collision Center. But once it’s finished, the Wawa there is expected to be 5,330 square feet and will include six fueling stations (for 12 vehicles).

Also included in the plan are two entry points from West Aaron Drive and Bergman Boulevard, although Wawa’s engineers recently submitted a modification request for the plans that would add a third entry option — a right-in, right-out-only entrance along North Atherton that they believe would lessen traffic congestion at the site.

Not everyone agrees.

After the request underwent a review from acting township engineer Alan Wilusz, it was determined that the third entry point’s addition would violate an ordinance in the section of the township’s code book. That could still be approved by the planning commission, with conditions, due to the benefits it would provide.

“[Wawa’s] traffic impact study did demonstrate that there would be an increase in site flow, as well as reduced queue times on Aaron Drive and the diverting of traffic away from Aaron Drive that would then be on Atherton — if the board was to allow the right-in, right-out on this,” Wilusz explained Monday during a public meeting of the planning commission.

While the planning commission decided to table its decision on the third entry point until its Nov. 10 meeting, two Ferguson Township residents who live in the Overlook Heights neighborhood adjacent to the proposed Wawa spoke at the meeting. Both were unconvinced with the new addition’s detailed benefits, and both expressed disappointment with the previously proposed West Aaron Drive entrance.

Resident Rob Venema addressed the commission with concerns that the Wawa, regardless of a third entry point, would lead to increased traffic and accidents in his neighborhood. He said the area is mainly composed of families with young children and the elderly.

“Pushing any traffic, even the smallest percentage of it, into the Overlook Heights neighborhood makes zero sense,” Venema said. “You’re dramatically increasing the probability, or the inevitability, of accidents and at some point, kids or other people getting hit by vehicles.”

Venema’s concerns echoed those that were shared by several other township residents at a planning commission meeting last September and at a township supervisors meeting in September 2023. Back then, Wawa officials floated the idea of a right-in, right-out-only entry point that was met with several concerns — although it was only formally introduced during Monday’s meeting.

To mitigate traffic flow into the Overlook Heights, Venema recommended installing a barricade on West Aaron Drive that prevented traffic from turning left into the neighborhood, and said that a similar measure was taken for the nearby College Heights development in State College Borough.

With Overlook Heights having three other access points, the commission members deemed Monday that a barricade could be possible, but did not take action to include one in any future plans.

Commission member Bill Keogh recommended Wawa install a no-turning sign for cars to see when exiting onto West Aaron Drive, but that idea was dismissed after Venema had asked who would enforce the signage.

Keogh also mentioned changing the wait time of the traffic signal at the intersection of North Atherton Street and West Aaron Drive to reduce overall congestion, but that will be determined if the commission approves the third entry point on Nov. 10. If approved, the signal’s wait time will be slightly shortened; if not, it will be greatly shortened.

Resident Mike Chaplin also spoke at the meeting, warning the commission that college students living in the many student housing developments along Vairo Boulevard may use Bergman Road and the Wawa parking lot as a shortcut to Atherton Street, as opposed to waiting at traffic lights — something that the commission picked up on too.

In recent years that shortcut has been gated shut, with Bergman Road serving as a parking area for employees of Champs Sports Grill. But, since Wawa purchased the property and plans on using the road as an entry point, the gate has been re-opened.

If Bergman Road were to be used as a shortcut for vehicles not stopping at Wawa, both residents and commission members alike fear that greater congestion could be seen at the gas station/convenience store and in Overlook Heights.

Despite the concerns though, potential remedies for the Bergman Heights shortcut were only briefly discussed, and it was decided upon that greater conversation would be had at the planning commission’s next meeting, which will take place at 6 p.m. Nov. 10 at 3147 Research Drive.

If the access point is approved then, the earliest that the township’s supervisors could review it would be eight days later at their meeting on Nov. 18, or at their Dec. 9 meeting. The supervisors also meet at 6 p.m. at 3147 Research Drive.

This story was originally published October 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM.