Whataburger is officially on its way to the Covell Road exit at Interstate 35, after the Edmond Planning Commission signed off on a site plan Tuesday. The burger chain is the latest national player to stake a claim at the interchange, where restaurants and shops have been popping up in quick succession. City leaders and developers have long targeted the crossroads as a key retail destination, and the newest approval makes that long-running strategy harder to miss from the road.
According to The Oklahoman, the commission’s vote puts Whataburger alongside several other restaurant and retail projects lining Covell near I-35. The report notes that the deal follows a run of nearby pads and storefronts that have already been built out, filled or reserved around the busy intersection.
How the approval works
The city’s Planning Commission reviews site plans to ensure proposals comply with zoning, design and engineering requirements before any dirt is turned, per the City of Edmond planning department. With a site plan in hand, developers typically move on to building permits, utility hookups and inspections, all of which have to be cleared before a restaurant can open its doors to customers.
What’s already at the exit
The Covell–I-35 interchange has quickly turned into a roll call of national chains. Starbucks, McDonald’s, Chipotle, Panda Express, Chick-fil-A and Qdoba are among the brands that have either opened for business or secured approvals on pads ringing the exit. A recent tenant roundup lays out how the cluster has taken shape, along with other food and retail projects that have landed nearby, according to Yahoo.
Why developers like Covell
Developers and city officials often point to the public money poured into the area as a key reason chains keep circling the interchange. As reported by The Journal Record, Edmond has put roughly $30 million into infrastructure at Covell and I-35, a package that includes upgrades intended to make development sites build-ready and strong enough to handle heavier traffic volumes.
Next steps and timeline
The site-plan approval is a crucial step, but it is not the finish line. Developers still need to secure building permits, complete grading and coordinate utilities before construction crews can get to work. Those steps and general permitting timelines appear on the City of Edmond development portal. For now, neither city staff nor Whataburger has posted a projected opening date.
For nearby residents and commuters, the new restaurant will bring additional daytime jobs, more options for a quick meal and a boost to local sales-tax collections, along with extra traffic during the rush. Local officials say the growing cluster of national brands is a clear sign that Covell and I-35 are settling into a long-term role as one of Edmond’s denser retail hubs, with more work on sites and new construction expected in the coming months.
