Santa Barbara Works to Reduce Chick-fil-a Traffic on Upper State

Source: City of Santa Barbara
The queuing from Chick fil-A’s drive-through onto State Street, (3707 State Street), continues to create serious traffic congestion as well as hazardous conditions for pedestrians. City Staff has reached out to Chick-fil-A emphasizing the significant safety concerns posed by the excessive queuing and is working with representatives on a solution to restore circulation, and most importantly, to preserve public safety.
Chick-fil-A representatives are actively pursuing both short and long-term options, including outside order taking and car service, to mitigate the traffic back-ups.
You can help too! The City is asking for your help to prevent traffic collisions and congestion. Please do not stop on State Street to queue into Chick-fil-A. In addition, please avoid blocking the sidewalk and bike lane. Blocking sidewalks and bike lanes poses safety concerns for bikers, pedestrians, and especially people with disabilities.
Queuing in the street is not only dangerous and a blockage to normal State Street travel, but it is also illegal. Violators may be subject to citation.
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79 Comments
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Nov 19, 2021 10:21 AMWhy post signs noticing traffic citations for blocking traffic, and not issue the citations?
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Nov 19, 2021 03:23 PMhave to agree with you there...really seems stupid. just put a traffic cop out front and give him extra pens.
sorry, but IDC why you're in line at some crappy fast food place and you think you have a right to impede traffic. you don't. yall need to keep your artery clogging habits to yourself and not impede traffic on the road.
My traffic cop friend says that it's really pathetic, the excuses and attitude given by those people when they do get cited. its like they think they are A-OK to be in the way of the rest of hte town that's trying to drive past.
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Nov 19, 2021 04:33 PMIt wouldn’t matter if they were picking up gourmet food from a three-star restaurant. The issue is not the food quality, only the road blocking.
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Nov 19, 2021 10:37 AMI think it might be hard to get SBPD to enforce traffic there. I've seen them in the line. I also have seen them use Chick fil-A as a gathering place. The other day I saw 10 SBPD cars and motorcyles parked in the lot.
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Nov 19, 2021 03:26 PMyeah? 10 at once? Funny. I call BS on that. I happen to know many of them and they aren't going to pull 10 cars off of the road and park at that place.
just for a snack. especially in a black and white and bikes too. LOL..
me thinks someone is telling a very tall tale....and in fact. i paused this and got my buddy on messenger. he's a motorcycle cop in town. he immediately laughed and said flat out no. Not only is that excessive, "it's a lie". there ya go Kid.
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Nov 19, 2021 10:44 AMThis was just poor planning. All this was predicted during the permitting process. The City needs to shut down the drive thru until there is a solution. i really don't see a solution except to shut down drive thru permanently.
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Nov 19, 2021 10:50 AMThe solution is to stop crying about it, develop a fast food place that is preferable to Chick fil-A. Problem solved!!!
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Nov 20, 2021 05:56 AM380, that’s the American way. But it will be unlikely to ever happen on State Street. Do note that a number of the alternative designs for that Chick fil A would have allowed for much better traffic flow. But the planning committee didn’t want better traffic flow because they thought bad traffic flow would limit how many people would want to use the drive through feature of a restaurant that typically has a huge fan base for drive through. So now we are stuck with the results of perverse planning. By the way, CFA has locations in many areas far busier than upper state that have little or no impact on the traffic on the roads around them so they have a track record of being able to pull it off.
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Nov 20, 2021 08:48 AMJak, SInce Chick-Fil-A took over a previous fast-food outlet that already had a drive-through don't you think that they and the City thought that the traffic patterns would continue the same? Do you think that perhaps the popularity of CFA wasn't anticipated?
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Nov 20, 2021 03:27 PMYou hit the bullseye. The city’s goal at the time of early planning was no increase in drive through traffic. CFA always seemed to know better but was stuck with an oddball planning and permitting process that only allowed them to have a drive through if they built in place of an existing drive through. Anyone remember the previous drive through? I want to say Arbys but I’m probably not remembering correctly.
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Nov 19, 2021 11:02 AMI don't support Chik-Fil-A anyway due to their monetary support of anti-LBGTQ hate groups.
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Nov 19, 2021 03:27 PMdun dun duuuuuuuuunnnn
OMG GT and I agree on something and back a similar movement?
i think i threw up a little just now....but hey....why not.
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Nov 19, 2021 08:49 PMGood on you Hawk!
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Nov 20, 2021 11:17 AMBoo hoo hooo. Get the rest of your libs friends to boycott like they say they will so the rest of us can get our food faster.
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Nov 20, 2021 11:18 AMThank you, General Tree! Neither do we. We don't support hate.
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Nov 20, 2021 03:35 PMJimbo11, there aren’t any liberals left in Santa Barbara. They all moved to Canada when Trump got elected. Or perhaps they came back when Biden was elected?
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Nov 25, 2021 02:24 PMThen that would just leave the racist rednecks to occupy the city?
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Nov 19, 2021 11:56 AMLet's face it, the traffic issue is pretty minor considering the big picture. I've been stuck in the line ONE time, learned my lesson NOT to get in the left lane in that stretch of road. I don't have a melt down over something so minor. In my own opinion, people have a political bone to pick because six years ago or so Chick-fil-A donated money to support the cause to preserve traditional marriage. Get over it people. Many/many/most businesses would LOVE to have cars lines up each day. FYI: I am a huge fan of their chicken, homemade lemonade, waffle fries, and mac-n-cheese. Some people crave the booze, crave the weed, crave this and that, and a lot of people crave this fast-food chain. That's it. Small potatoes....get o-v-e-r it for goodness sakes, or at a mimimum, avoid the area. Okay?
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Nov 19, 2021 12:58 PMIf you know the situation in advance, you can plan to be in the left lane. If you don’t know, you are likely to get stuck. Traffic flow should not be reliant on everyone being already familiar with every block they ever drive on. The business has space on the other side of their building. They should reconfigure their operations to prevent the backup. It should be up to them to fix the problem.
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Nov 20, 2021 01:10 AMAlso, bicyclists and pedestrians are impeded and put in danger.
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Nov 20, 2021 06:00 AMSo… How many bicyclists and pedestrians get injured here over the course of a typical year as opposed to, Trader Joe’s?
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Nov 20, 2021 01:10 PMAs one of the "closest to the curb" idiots (bicyclist) coming into that area is a nightmare. So as you (self) approach that spot & the AUTOMOBILES stopped on/in the BikeLane or even lined up on the street puts you (self) in a NO win situation. At any point the vehicle in the right lane decides to just move way more to the right (happens alot!) are you supposed to pass on the left? Or passenger decides NOW would be a great time to exit as you (self) arrive... [only some of the personal experiences, there's more but]
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Nov 21, 2021 12:26 AMI don't have that figure. I said these street/sidewalk users were impeded, not injured. I make eye contact with drivers before I walk past and between cars, have had to once or twice. One must be very alert, when crossing a crosswalk when left-turn drivers are around, too.
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Nov 22, 2021 09:47 PMCakes, the traffic issue affect more people than just you, and some in cars, on bikes, and on foot, cannot avoid it. Just wanted to point that out.
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Nov 19, 2021 01:03 PMYou mean posting a sign didn't fix the problem??
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Nov 19, 2021 02:02 PMAlways be in the left lane when approaching Chick-Fil-A.
Always be in the right lane when going north on Mission when getting off 101.
Always be in the right lane when approaching BevMo when going east on State St.
I don’t like getting stuck behind predictable traffic, so that’s what I always do. It would be great if other EdHatters could share their traffic avoidance tips.
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Nov 19, 2021 02:08 PMHow can you turn to the right for Chick-filet when you're in the left lane of State Street (unless you mean the left lane as you're heading west?)
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Nov 19, 2021 02:30 PMI never go to Chick-Fil-A. I always stick to the left lane so I don't get stuck behind the people going there. I hear it's tasty food, but I'm not a fast food person.
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Nov 20, 2021 09:54 AMShasta, I was having such a laugh reading your comment as I also militantly follow these exact location-specific rules. Right on.
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Nov 21, 2021 02:27 PMNever exit 154 South at Foothill in the morning and afternoon hours when la Colina Jr High is out. You will never be able to turn left. You will have to turn right and flip a quick u turn which really makes everyone in line mad. Good thing they will never catch up to you..
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Nov 19, 2021 02:05 PMThere sure is a lot of fuss for low quality fast food. These are the results of end game capitalism.
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Nov 19, 2021 09:03 PMAgreed. Their food isn't good, the other fast food options have just gotten much worse.
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Nov 20, 2021 11:17 AMAgreed. Unhealthy mediocre fast food with a side of homophobia and hate. NO ThANK YOU.
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Nov 19, 2021 02:47 PMIt’s a successful business, good for them.
It’s drive thru in an age of Covid concerns. Might explain the lines.
The lines go quickly, just more & more customers go there.
If the City would like to pay to relocate a successful business they may be open to that
The landlord might not be happy about it.
Just like traffic on the 101 through rush hour traffic & construction. Stay away from the area during congested times.
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Nov 19, 2021 04:07 PMThis morning around 8:30 AM, cars exiting 101 S. Bound at the 154/South Street exit repeatedly blocked the box at that intersection, so an MTA bus (and everyone behind it) had to wait through 4 green lights to cross the intersection and get in the left turn lanes for the 154. How can so many people think it is okay to block the box in an intersection?
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Nov 19, 2021 04:35 PMWhat does “blocked the box” mean?
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Nov 22, 2021 09:40 PManother "hit & run" poster, so to speak. I'm still trying to figure this out myself. All I can picture is people getting off the 101 sbound. I doubt they're blocking Goleta-bound Hollister between 154 area & the train trestle/Modoc!
Or does she mean that all the traffic coming off 154 /State St. exit southbound pile into the left turn lane headed toward the 154 x Foothill onramp? which is the intersection that starts on Hollister and passes over the freeway at 154 x Calle Real?
I hate to gloat, but I am so glad I'm partially retired and don't have to deal with commuting!
But I really would like to know what posters mean when they discuss local issues.
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Nov 22, 2021 09:43 PMNov. 19, 4:35, I assume "block the box" means to block an intersection, so as to impede any movement when a light changes.
As when someone blocks the portion of pavement near an intersection that says "DO NOT BLOCK."
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Nov 22, 2021 09:54 PMI take it back -- I can imagine people blocking two lanes of east/Goleta bound traffic on Hollister, before Modoc/train trestle, as terrible as that is.
This kind of driving may get you or others killed. It just ain't worth your life. Put on some good music, leave 5-10 minutes earlier, or picture getting home to your family without an accident.
And drive defensively. Never aggressively. It's not worth an expensive accident and/or car repair and insurance costs, let alone hospitalization, disability or death.
Chill Out, Peace Out, listen to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EdlTA5n2h8
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Nov 22, 2021 10:43 PMThe link is to Vince Guaraldi Trio Christmas, the soundtrack to a Charlie Brown Christmas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EdlTA5n2h8
Or pick your favorite music so you have something to do, to think of, to mellow your mood, to make you think of your family, to value life, while you drive!
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Nov 19, 2021 04:55 PMI also saw the same kind of back up of traffic at the drive thru Starbucks on Turnpike (cars were basically stopped up to the intersection/corner). Maybe if they can figure out how to fix one they can apply the solution to the other!
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Nov 20, 2021 06:03 AMBut Starbucks is a totally different situation. We like there politics.
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Nov 20, 2021 09:35 AMTheir union-busting politics or their meaningless political opinions?
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Nov 20, 2021 03:31 PMOh, definitely their meaningless political opinions. Let’s not dirty our thoughts by considering actual issues.
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Nov 19, 2021 05:25 PMFor those of you who love and crave CFA, I suggest you purchase double or triple your normal order, and simply put it in the fridge or freezer. This eliminates the need to make multiple weekly trips, reduce the traffic congestion, and the amount of time you have to wait to consume your food. Air fryers and mini convection oven heat up CFA quite nicely!!!
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Nov 19, 2021 06:14 PM@Zerohawk.....I'll post a picture next time.
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Nov 19, 2021 07:29 PMThe City is as much at fault here as CFA - they approved it. "City Staff has reached out to Chick-fil-A..." - what, as they handed them chicken sandwiches? Never seen the PD writing tickets for all the times I drove by those lines of cars.
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Nov 21, 2021 02:33 PMWhy is everyone blaming CFA and the city? Isn’t it the responsibility of the driver to follow the rules of the road? It’s ridiculous. I’ve never been to CFA and don’t plan on it but I would never block the road if I did. I won’t even turn left out of a parking lot if it’s going to hold a bunch of people up. I’ll turn right and go around. People are so entitled. Same with those that block the driveway at Turnpike Shell to use the car wash.
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Nov 19, 2021 09:12 PMA suggestion. Whenever you are passing cars that are lined up to turn into CFA, lean on your horn until you are past them. Perhaps the noise will get noticed more than the complaints have been?
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Nov 20, 2021 06:18 AMDoesn't anyone mind their own business anymore
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