Meijer, a Michigan-based grocery store chain, has plans to construct a supercenter in Cranberry Township. Submitted photo

Cranberry supervisors during a meeting on Thursday, Dec. 11, advanced plans for Henderson Crossing, a mixed-use development that most notably includes a Meijer grocery store and an Meijer Express gas station.

Following a public hearing, supervisors granted preliminary land development and conditional use approval, one of the first significant steps in what will be a yearslong process that will bring the Michigan-based grocery store chain to southwestern Butler County.

In addition to the Meijer businesses, the 44.5-acre plan — set for the northeast corner of Route 228 and Franklin Road — will also include eight four-story apartment buildings and multiple restaurant sites.

Much of the discussion throughout the review process has centered on traffic management and how new access points, turning lanes and signals would operate alongside the upcoming state Department of Transportation improvements in the corridor.

“I’m here mainly because of the traffic concerns that I have,” said Natalie Richard, a Seven Fields resident who voiced her concerns at the public hearing. “I grew up 10 to 15 minutes outside of here, and I remember when Franklin Road (was among) the back roads, and now, the congestion on those roads is so heavy.”

In response, developers and township staff said the proposed upgrades are expected to roll out in coordination with PennDOT’s Franklin Road widening and Route 228 improvement projects.

Those projects, they said, will be key to managing traffic flow around North Catholic High School and across the busy Route 228 and Franklin Road intersection.

One of the most significant road changes remains the planned conversion of Rebecca Lane into a full-access, signalized intersection.

Additional entrances are proposed along Franklin Road, including a primary access to the Meijer store, along with a rear connection to Hillmont Drive. Sidewalks would frame the perimeter of the development and link into Cranberry’s pedestrian network.

It’s still undetermined what those other establishments in the development will be at this time. However, township manager Dan Santoro noted that each time a new tenant is secured, developers will need to come back with a final plan for the planning commission and board of supervisors.