NORWALK — Long lines at the McDonald’s drive-thru on Connecticut Avenue may soon be coming to an end.
The franchise owners of the popular fast-food restaurant are seeking city approval to build a new two-lane drive-thru to accommodate more customers and alleviate traffic backups, according to an application recently filed with the planning and zoning department.
The location, traffic engineers wrote in the application, has seen a surge in drive-thru customers over the last decade, a phenomenon that has only accelerated with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
The documents show the owners plans to tear down the existing drive-thru and replace it with what engineers called a “side-by-side” drive-thru that splits into two lanes. The layout, which will be similar to the Main Avenue McDonald’s drive-thru, will allow the store to serve more vehicles at a quicker pace, according to the proposal.
“The proposed drive-thru improvements are expected to improve traffic flow of current demand,” traffic engineers wrote in the application.
The franchise, which is owned by Bridgeport-based Trefz Family Restaurants is the second fast-food spot on Connecticut Avenue this year to submit a proposal to overhaul their drive-thru due to congestion issues.
Chick-fil-A, which sits about a mile down the road, won city approval earlier this year to build a larger drive-thru to help handle a sharp increase in customers. Like McDonald’s, the fried chicken chain said the pandemic has led to the jump in drive-thru orders.
The existing single-lane drive-thru at the McDonald’s location can accommodate up to 14 vehicles before customers are forced to queue on Connecticut Avenue, according to the traffic engineers.
The two-lane setup, however, will be able to serve up to 17 vehicles, a 21 percent increase in capacity over the existing layout. The two ordering stations are also expected to reduce the average time customers spend waiting in line.
“By taking two menu orders at the same time, McDonald’s can serve its existing customer base more efficiently while also handling larger orders,” the application states.
The application suggests the proposed drive-thru arrangement will also improve safety on the busy roadway, which sees an average of nearly 60,000 vehicle trips every day. Traffic engineers found that six minor vehicle crashes occurred directly in front of the restaurant between 2017 and 2019.
“The proposed replacement of the ‘traditional’ drive-thru layout with a ‘side-by-side’ drive-thru is anticipated to accommodate existing drive-thru queues, thereby enhancing site safety,” engineers wrote in the documents.
Michelle Andrzejewski, a land use planner with the city, said the application is tentatively scheduled to go before the planning and zoning commission on May 18. The application does not require a public hearing, but the commission has the option to hold one.
richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com