Headline: Vacant Taco Bell on the Black Horse Pike Would Become a Take 5 — A small change with big local ripple effects for Washington Twp. and I‑295 drivers
Category: News — Washington Township
If you’ve driven the Black Horse Pike in Washington Township lately — especially if you get on or off nearby I‑295 — you probably noticed the long-closed Taco Bell property sitting empty along the commercial strip. Now a national quick‑lube chain, Take 5 Oil Change, has filed plans to redevelop the site. That may sound like a small swap in a strip of restaurants and service businesses, but for people who live, work, or commute through this part of Gloucester County it’s worth paying attention to.
Where this is and why it matters
The parcel in question sits on the Black Horse Pike (the busy commercial spine that runs through Washington Twp.), a corridor that feeds traffic to nearby I‑295 exits and serves shoppers and commuters from surrounding towns. The property has been an eyesore since Taco Bell shut down, leaving a vacant building and underused lot in an otherwise active retail stretch.
Take 5 is proposing a drive-through style quick‑oil change operation — the kind of business that typically draws steady short-stay traffic rather than long visits. For I‑295 drivers looking for a fast in‑and‑out service near the highway, that’s an attractive option: the promise of a 15‑ to 20‑minute oil change without the dealership wait. For the township, the redevelopment offers a use for a vacant lot, new jobs, and additional ratables. But it also raises the usual local questions: traffic flow, curb cuts, stormwater, lighting, and how the building will fit into the streetscape.
About Take 5 and the quick-lube model
Take 5 is one of several national quick‑lube brands that emphasize speed and convenience. Locations are typically drive-through with multiple service bays, open to walk-in customers and designed for high turnover. Community feedback for other nearby Take 5 or quick‑lube locations (see local Yelp pages for examples) tends to split between appreciation for convenience and concerns about queuing during peak hours, potential oil spill/runoff risks, and hours of operation affecting nearby homes.
What the change could mean for Washington Township and the I‑295 corridor
– Removes blight: A long-vacant commercial building can depress nearby property values and make a stretch of road feel neglected. Reusing the site helps tidy up the corridor.
– Jobs and small economic boost: Quick‑lube shops typically hire local staff for shift work, which is a modest but real employment gain.
– Traffic patterns: Unlike a sit‑down restaurant that generates parking circulation, a Take 5 produces short-duration vehicle stacking — that can work well if the site design accounts for adequate queuing off the main road. If not, the Black Horse Pike and nearby intersections (used heavily by I‑295 exit traffic) could see added congestion at peak commute times.
– Environmental and stormwater concerns: Oil and automotive fluids require proper containment and drainage controls. Town planners and the county will likely require an engineered stormwater plan and spill containment measures as part of site approvals.
– Compatibility with neighboring businesses: Neighboring retail and food businesses may welcome increased passersby, but they’ll want assurances the new use won’t create noise, odors, or queuing that interfere with customer access.
What residents should watch for
This sort of development typically needs municipal approvals — planning board or zoning board — for site plan changes, curb cuts, and any deviations from existing zoning. Meetings and public notices will be posted on the Washington Township municipal website and sent to nearby property owners. If you’re curious or have a concern about traffic, sightlines, stormwater, or business hours, those meetings are where you make your views heard.
Where to look for more context
– Google Maps is handy for seeing the property layout, distance to the nearest I‑295 ramps, and nearby businesses and cross streets.
– Local outlets like NJ.com and Patch have covered similar redevelopment debates across South Jersey — look there for background on how quick‑lube and similar uses have fared in nearby communities.
– Yelp and other review sites show how residents view existing Take 5 locations — they can give you a sense of what neighbors can expect in terms of service, wait time, and community fit.
Why this story matters to the 295Times community
295Times readers are practical people: commuters, small business owners, and neighbors who care about how changes along the highway and its feeder roads affect daily life. A new quick‑lube near the Black Horse Pike affects the commute (time through intersections), the look and feel of a frequently traveled exit, and the economic health of local retail strips. It’s the kind of development that’s small in scale, but immediately tangible for people who use this stretch of road every day.
If you want this handled with neighborhood input, keep an eye on the Washington Township planning board agenda and look for the next public hearing. I’ll keep following the story and will share details about public notices, site plans, and community comments as they become available.
Questions or tips? If you know specifics about the property address, traffic patterns at the nearby ramp you use, or past complaints about the site, send them my way — local details help shape the conversation for everyone who lives and drives along the Black Horse Pike and I‑295.
