If you live in Saucon Valley and enjoy Wawa hoagies, coffee or some of the other things for which the popular convenience store chain is known, you soon won’t have to drive as far to get your fix.

Following the recent demolition of the former Chris’s Restaurant on Rt. 412 in Bethlehem, construction of a new Wawa has begun at the site, which is about a mile north of I-78 and Hellertown.

The Wawa will include a convenience store and gas station, along with parking for dozens of vehicles.

Once completed, the Wawa between the Hellertown/Bethlehem I-78 exit and Wind Creek casino in the city will cater to motorists traveling one of the busiest traffic corridors in the Lehigh Valley.

Wawa has opened a number of new stores in the Lehigh Valley in recent years, including one on Rt. 309 in Upper Saucon Township. Located just north of Coopersburg, that store opened in 2022.

In addition to the interstate and the casino, the new Bethlehem Wawa will be located close to Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII, which is home to a number of businesses.

One of those businesses is a Walmart distribution center where approximately 600 employees were recently laid off.