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If the application for Drake’s Car Wash looked familiar to Murrysville council, that’s because they’ve seen nearly all of it before.
Council approved a plan a few years ago for Tommy’s Car Wash on the same spot, the former Choice Auto property on Route 22 near School Road. Tommy’s is a nationwide chain centered in the Midwest. The nearest location is Chambersburg, although the Tommy’s website has a “Coming Soon” page for a location on Route 30 near the Hempfield/Jeannette border.
“The previous applicant walked away from that project,” Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico said. “(Drake’s) has essentially mirrored that plan with a few minor adjustments.”
Jonathan Garczewski of Gateway Engineers said the only major difference in the plan was the addition of a third lane for cars to queue in.
“All those lanes meet the required 100-foot length, and we’re also reducing the number of vacuum spaces,” Garczewski said.
Cars could enter the queue lines from both westbound Route 22 and Old William Penn Highway. Council members had concerns about cars potentially stacking up past the entrance on the Route 22 side, a situation that has occurred at the Dunkin a few blocks west.
“That’s why we decided to add the third lane instead of just having two,” developer Billy Elliott said.
Elliott currently operates two other Drake’s locations, in Cranberry and Wilkins. He said the Cranberry location has more than 4,000 members.
If approved, it could be the second new car wash springing up on the same block. In 2023, council approved a WetGo car wash proposed to replace the former Standard Bank, next to the GetGo station on Route 22.
Council did not vote on the application. Its next meeting is at 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at the municipal building, 4100 Sardis Road. An agenda is available in advance at Murrysville.com.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
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