A Wawa is slated to be built in Covington Twp., not far from North Pocono High School.
The township supervisors voted 3-2 last week to grant a request by 2025 Bochicchio Covington LLC to build the convenience store and gas station near the intersection of Drinker Turnpike and Bochicchio Boulevard in the Daleville section of the township.
Supervisor Chair Melissa Kearney and Supervisor Wanda Andreoli voted against the project. Vice Chairman F. Marshall Pierce and Supervisors Bill Wilson and Bill Beavers voted for it.
The plans call for a 6,600-square-foot store with 16 gas pumps at eight stations. It will also include 57 parking spaces and signage on the Drinker Turnpike. Motorists will access the store mainly from the Drinker Turnpike, with another entrance from Bochicchio Boulevard.
Kearney said although she favors the popular gas station and convenience store chain based in southeastern Pennsylvania, she voted against the plan because of its use of Bochicchio Boulevard as an access road and the ensuing traffic from it. The store will be located less than a mile from the entrance to North Pocono High School.
“I’m here for the safety of the students, faculty and public that utilize (Bochicchio Boulevard) for the school,” she said. “I wish that they would have gone further out over near the interstate.”
Several residents, as well as officials from the North Pocono School District, raised concerns about the increased traffic on Bochicchio Boulevard that could result from the store and gas station, Kearney said. Other residents understand the township needs to grow with commercial development but like to have it maintain its rural characteristics — sentiments Kearney said she shares with them.
Andreoli didn’t say why she voted against the project at last week’s meeting.
The developer will install a concrete divider on Bochicchio Boulevard, barriers, medians, speed bumps, new traffic lights on the Drinker Turnpike and a second lane on Bochicchio Boulevard.
The site where a Wawa convenience store and gas station is planned near the intersection of Drinker Turnpike and Bochicchio Boulevard in Covington Twp. pictured Friday, April 4, 2025. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
The site where a Wawa convenience store and gas station is planned near the intersection of Drinker Turnpike and Bochicchio Boulevard in Covington Twp. pictured Friday, April 4, 2025. The township supervisors approved the project last week. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
The location of a planned Wawa with a convenience store and gas station pumps in Covington Twp. Township supervisors approved the plans last week. (Screenshot)
The developer initially submitted plans in December, with township officials granting a subdivision of the property last month. The township’s planning commission also made recommendations regarding parking, landscaping and traffic.
The supervisors’ approval is contingent on 2025 Bochicchio Covington obtaining a highway occupancy permit from the state Department of Transportation and a well permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection. They already obtained a stormwater permit from the DEP, Kearney said.
The Wawa is the third one approved in Lackawanna County. The convenience store chain is planning to open locations at Moosic Street and Meadow Avenue in South Scranton and at Meredith and Main streets in Carbondale Twp., across the street from an existing Sheetz.
Wawa has also proposed building two locations in Dickson City, on Bell Mountain off Cold Spring Road and at the corner of Main Street and Viewmont Drive.
The borough’s planning commission approved a subdivision for the Main Street property last week, Robert Hall, the commission’s vice chairman and borough council vice president, said.
“The next step with that will be developers bringing us in their land development,” he said, adding they have not been submitted.
The commission has not received plans for the Bell Mountain site from Wawa, Hall said. He said Wawa is working on the site plan, adding he believes they are working on a traffic study for nearby Route 6.
“They haven’t presented any new information to us,” Hall said.
Wawa opened a location in December on Route 309 in Wilkes-Barre Twp., with other Luzerne County locations planned for Route 309 in Dallas Twp. and Route 315 in Plains Twp., which is also across the street from a rival Sheetz.