Some oppose new drive-thrus by the Avalon Mall. Here's why

When St. John's city council narrowly approved two new drive-thruslast week for Kenmount Road, their 4-3 vote exposed a divide that pits convenience against climate.

A quick glance at drive-thrus around metro St. John's will prove their popularity. Lineups are frequently seen at any Tim Hortions, consumers go to McDonald's for meals around the clock, and even banks have set up machines for drive-by service.

Despite the obvious consumer demand, there is firm opposition to more drive-thrus.

"I would say aside from the larger global climate change issue, drive-thrus add extra points of conflict and uncertainty on roads," saidKirsten Morry, a lawyer who serves as a member of the St. John's Transportation Commission, which operates Metrobus.

She and three others wrote to council to express displeasure with the decision to allow two new drive-thrus one is for a bank, the other is for a coffee franchise on the perimeter of the Avalon Mall property along Kenmount Road, one of the busiest stretches on the northeast Avalon.

Morry discounts the argument that two additional drive-thrusin the city will not make much difference overall.

"Not making that much difference is still going in the wrong direction," she said.

Morry said drive-thrusincrease gas emissions because vehicles are often idling vehicles, and often add to congestion because traffic flows are interrupted by drive-thrus.

"It creates extra conflict among pedestrians, cyclistsand car drivers."

Not just a climate change issue

She also argues that drive-thrus run the risk of reducing the number of "little walking trips that are beneficial to human health."

For some citizens, that wouldn't be an issue. Drive-thrus offer an accessible way of getting food for those who are unable to walk.

She takes umbrage with this argument, however.

If we have sprawling setups that you have to drive to, people don't make those smaller spontaneous purchases quite as much.- Kirsten Morry

"Do we make this accessibility argument for literally anything but these new customer service, fast food, and banking drive-thrus? No, we're not. I don't think this argument is particularly relevant," she said.

Another argument that she takes issue with is that the drive-thrus benefit the provincial economy.

"I think a lot of research on what makes for vibrant economic areas is actually in favour of increasing level of foot traffic. Like if we have sprawling setups that you have to drive to, people don't make those smaller spontaneous purchases quite as much."

More than a local problem

According to Morry, there are already plenty of drive-thrus in town for people who want them.

She isn't alone in her beliefs, either. Aside fromother citizens who have written to council, some cities in North America are beginning to turn away from driving to their food.

The City of Minneapolis recently decided to ban the development of all new drive-thrus to cut back on emissions, and Fredericton recently voted to postpone installing a $40,000 turnaround to solve their traffic woes that resulted from a Tim Hortons drive-thru.

"We have several Tim Hortons locations in Fredericton, on which there's inadequate capacity on the site for vehicles to queue up at the drive-thru, particularly during rush hour periods. And in several cases traffic backs up onto the street," said Stephen Chase, Frederiction city councillor and chair of the city's public safety and environment committee.

"At least one of the two lanes is blocked and it is a significant impediment to the free flow of traffic, but it's also a public safety issue because there have been accidents."

I can only say I wouldn't do it. I don't get it, frankly.- Stephen Chase

Although Fredericton hasn't banned drive-thrus outright, they've begun vetting applicants a little more intensely.

"What we have done is limited applications and rejected a couple of fast food applications that wanted to have drive-thrus," he said. "We are rejecting drive through applications dependent on the location.

"We do know this is a national issue that's happening everywhere. And I know it's been an issue in St. John's."

At the end of the day, Chase said he doesn't get why these types of chains are so successful.

"I just don'tunderstand why people are so addicted to sitting in the drive-thru," he said.

"That is a sociological phenomenon that I'm not equipped to answer. I can only say I wouldn't do it. I don't get it, frankly."

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