What's Delaying Sheetz's First Chester County Store?

Image via Sheetz THORNDALE, PA — Sheetz has missed its previously projected Sept. 1 opening for its first Chester County store as the proposed redevelopment of the former Rite Aid on East Lincoln Highway remains under land-development review and subject to PennDOT approvals. Caln Township commissioners unanimously granted conditional-use approval May 14, but the decision did not authorize construction. The company still must secure land-development approval, and no replacement opening date has been disclosed. The project at 3807 E. Lincoln Highway, near Bondsville Road, calls for demolition of the former Rite Aid and construction of a 6,139-square-foot Sheetz convenience store. Plans have been scaled back from an earlier configuration. The current proposal includes six fueling positions rather than 12, 43 parking spaces, and two drive-through windows restricted to mobile-order pickup. The property sits diagonally across Lincoln Highway from a Wawa at an intersection that has drawn particular attention from township officials over traffic and pedestrian safety. Commissioner Joshua Young called for a vote on the conditional-use order May 14 after the township solicitor summarized 14 conditions attached to the approval. Commissioners approved the application 5-0. During that meeting, Commissioner Mark Evans pointed to a recent major crash at the intersection and a fatality earlier in the year, arguing that pedestrian and cyclist safety would be an important consideration as the township advances its Vision Zero initiative. Commissioner Adam Thomas emphasized that conditional-use approval represented only one stage of the municipal process and that Sheetz would need to return for land-development review. That review was underway by June, when Sheetz representatives presented revised preliminary plans to the Caln Township Planning Commission. The changes incorporated conditions imposed during the zoning proceeding and attempted to address outstanding comments from municipal consultants. Planning commissioners did not act on the preliminary plan at the June 16 meeting. Traffic access remains among the more consequential unresolved issues. The conditional-use conditions call for pedestrian safety measures, including protections at crosswalks, and restrict the Lincoln Highway driveway to right-in/right-out movements. Sheetz has disputed aspects of the access-modification requirement on the grounds that PennDOT controls the highway. Other proposed traffic improvements, including flashing yellow left-turn signals, also require PennDOT approval and may depend on acquisition of necessary easements. The project would be subject to a post-development traffic study within six months after a use-and-occupancy certificate is issued. The study would evaluate traffic volumes, delays, vehicle queues and crash safety. Pedestrian connections from both Lincoln Highway and Bondsville Road are included in the revised plans. The review has also addressed safety devices around pedestrian crossings, accommodations for large fire apparatus and delivery trucks, and two parking spaces for oversized vehicles. Sheetz requested several waivers involving stormwater design and construction requirements. Planning commissioners also discussed the possibility of bicycle lanes along Lincoln Highway, though the applicant raised concerns about cyclist safety given traffic volumes on the corridor. The Planning Commission reviewed another round of revised preliminary plans Aug. 18 as Sheetz continued responding to municipal engineering and planning comments. The project traces to a conditional-use application filed Dec. 5, 2025. A January hearing notice identified Sheetz as the equitable owner of the 75,884-square-foot property and proposed replacing the existing Rite Aid building with the convenience store, fuel operation, and drive-through. The development would introduce Sheetz to Chester County while redeveloping a prominent commercial property along the Lincoln Highway corridor. Its timing now depends on completion of township land-development review and resolution of transportation issues requiring PennDOT involvement. With the original Sept. 1 target passed, the municipal record establishes no new date for construction completion or opening. Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.