CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE)– When the Chick-Fil-A by the Park Road Shopping Center was torn down, the lunch crowd moved to the next closest one on South Boulevard. It was already a busy location. But with just one entrance and exit, no turn lanes, and heavy construction in the area – it’s a recipe for a mess.

“Lots of times you’ll have cars in the drive-thru all the way out into the road,” said Brandon Custer, who works nearby and is concerned about the traffic situation. “The line extends that far.”

Over several days, FOX 46 reporter Matt Grant witnessed cars stopping in the median, backing up traffic in both directions and bumpers sticking out onto the road. At peak lunch and dinner rush, the drive-thru line starts on South Boulevard.

Custer says it’s a daily problem and a safety concern.

“Without a turn lane or anything like that it constantly causes backups and wrecks,” said Custer. “All kinds of incidents.”

While FOX 46 was out reporting, we saw a few close calls and near misses. There was also an accident at the traffic light by Chick-Fil-A. Both drivers were OK but glass and debris shattered all over the road, which has two lanes in both directions. Compounding the problem is an ongoing water main construction project and the fact that the restaurant only has one way in and out. When traffic backs up, it creates blind spots as drivers exit.

To get an idea of how backed up it can get, Grant went through the drive-thru around 1 p.m. Thursday to order a cup of coffee. It took 14 minutes to pull in and get the coffee.

FOX 46 took Custer’s concerns about traffic straight to CMPD.

“While congestion in the area has increased due to construction,” said Ofc. Thomas Hildebrand with CMPD’s public information office, “it has not required any active traffic control or direction by CMPD officers.”

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Chick-Fil-A says it’s working with city officials to identify solutions to manage traffic flow in the area. The fast food restaurant says it has already taken steps including:

  • Using a third drive-thru line during peak times
  • Reserving 25 parking spots just for mobile order curbside pickup
  • Having employees outside taking orders to speed up the line

Custer wants to see Chick-Fil-A extend its parking lot or have turn lanes installed. Unless something is done, he worries these traffic troubles won’t slow down.

“This side of town is getting bigger,” he said. “More and more places being built. More and more people moving in. Traffic’s only going to get worse.”

FOX 46 reached out to a traffic consulting firm in Charlotte to see what, if anything, could be done to improve the situation. The company said they could not comment because Chick-Fil-A is a client.