Franklin Mint Site and Wawa SEPTA Station.

By Bill Belanger

The Franklin Mint development must proceed very carefully to prevent traffic congestion and other adverse effects. A Wawa station is badly needed.

As of April, 2008 there have been many public meetings with no real resolution to the problem. At the last Council meeting the Charette process was discussed as a process to come to a consensus that balances the needs of the residents of the township with the rights of the developer. This might work if done properly. The developer has a right to develop the property within the zoning ordinance and other restrictions, such as the needed sewer connection and State-controlled the entry to/from Baltimore Pike. He does not have the right to trample over the right of the residents to a pleasant place to live, or to force the condemnation of property for roads because of the traffic the site generates.

Closely allied with this development issue is a SEPTA station at Wawa. This is sorely needed because the current Elwyn station has far too few parking spaces and generates a great deal of traffic on Baltimore Pike as people from the west drive to Elwyn, the westernmost station at present. Parking at Elwyn is a disaster. This new SEPTA station needs to be coordinated with the Franklin Mint development because the Wawa station will need traffic access to Baltimore Pike. This access will have to be coordinated with the Franklin Mint development traffic access.