Somerton: CVS and Wawa
are looking for a home

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

Somerton appears destined to get a new CVS pharmacy and a new Wawa convenience store. It’s just not clear exactly where those stores will be.
A developer, an engineer, store officials and neighbors tossed around several ideas on March 13 at the general meeting of the Somerton Civic Association.
The original idea put forth by the developer and businesses was to erect the new CVS on the site of a closed Frank’s store at Bustleton Avenue and Tomlinson Road. Then, a new Wawa store would go next door on the site of an existing CVS at Bustleton and Kelvin avenues.
The CVS people want to keep their existing store open while building the new store on adjacent property. The Wawa people want to build a newer, bigger store with gas pumps to replace an older, smaller location nearby at Bustleton and Lawler Street.
But some neighbors think that putting the Wawa at Tomlinson Road would be a better fit than at Kelvin. Other residents disagree.
Both uses are permitted for either site under the Philadelphia Zoning Code, although the Wawa may need approval by the Zoning Board of Adjustment approval for takeout food activity, the site developer said.
No permit applications had been filed with the city as of the civic meeting. Project officials said they’d return to a future SCA meeting with more detailed plans before proceeding with construction.
Area residents speculated about a series of problems, including conflicts with homes, Loesche Elementary School at Bustleton and Tomlinson, and a neighboring shopping center at Bustleton and Kelvin.
The complex would have three entrances on Bustleton Avenue and one on Kelvin Avenue. Traffic lights are on Bustleton at both Tomlinson and Kelvin, though most people consider the volume of traffic already a problem.
City Councilman Jack Kelly (R-at large), who lives on Tomlinson Road, said that the congestion woes could be fixed with left-turn signals on the existing traffic lights. However, SCA president Mary Jane Hazell said that neighbors have tried unsuccessfully for years to get left-hand signals at other problematic intersections.
"The state will not allow it and Bustleton Avenue is a state highway," Hazell said.
Anticipating a higher traffic volume for the Wawa than it would be for the CVS, Hazell suggested putting the Wawa on the Tomlinson side to capitalize on the wider side street. But some meeting-goers pointed out the potential conflict with the Loesche school crossing, as well as an existing gas station on the opposite corner.
Either way, neighbors want the developer and businesses to do everything possible to minimize vehicle traffic on Kelvin Avenue.
"You can say people will use Bustleton, but they’ll (really) use the closest entrance. It’s human nature," one resident said.
One man suggested configuring the gas pumps to make it more convenient to enter via Bustleton Avenue. Another resident suggested making the Kelvin curb cut an "exit only" with no incoming traffic.
A study of existing traffic patterns and volumes is under way.
City Councilman Brian O’Neill (R-10th dist.) noted that the site plans also include a curb cut at the rear of the site on residential Proctor Road. He opposes any entrance or exit on Proctor and suggested that the developer should let the community decide what kind of fencing and landscaping will be installed at the rear of the commercial property.
The SCA did not vote to support or oppose the project as an organization.
The next Somerton Civic meeting will be on Tuesday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m., at Walker Lodge 306, 1290 Southampton Road. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com