A brand new Chick-fil-a is underway on the intersection of Spring Cypress and Grant road, and some locals are not happy about it. Chris Dollinger, who lives near the site, started a petition on Change.org calling for the construction of the Chick-fil-a to be stopped.
“As a member of the local community, I believe that this location is not suitable for a new restaurant, and I urge you to reconsider plans,” said Dollinger.
The new chicken joint is being built just across the street from the HEB on Grant which is in the same area as Black Elementary School. With the heavy traffic that already exists in the area, members who signed the petition are worried that traffic will only get worse with the addition of the Chick-fil-a.
“Traffic will be a total nightmare at this location as Mr.Dollinger stated,” said petition signer Carol Hart.
Black Elementary has students in attendance from 8:45am to 4:10pm which makes the roads surrounding the school very congested around these two respective times. Because those times fall close to breakfast and dinner, the roads could get even more busy than they already are. The combination of carpoolers and bus traffic, grocery shoppers and the usual dense traffic that seems to come with every Chick-fil-a will make that area a nuisance for people passing by.
“I believe that it is important for Chick-fil-a to consider the impact of a new restaurant on the local community and to take the steps to ensure that it does not create additional safety hazards or congestion,” said Dollinger.
With the added congestion, drivers trying to avoid the traffic will likely cut through the Village of Indian Trail. This could lead to increased traffic, accidents and safety hazards concerning children within the neighborhood.
“These neighborhoods have large parks and a community pool, making the increased traffic even more hazardous,” said Dollinger.
Due to the inevitable increase in traffic along Spring Cypress and Grant roads, petition signers are questioning if Chick-fil-a will be doing anything to keep traffic flowing without major delays. Methods could include having multiple windows for picking up food or having additional drive through lanes to help cars pass through at a faster pace.
“I understand that Chick-fil-a may have taken steps to mitigate traffic issues at other locations, but I would like to know how they plan to guarantee that traffic will not be impeded at this proposed site,” said Dollinger.
Though there will be major traffic concerns following the opening of the Chick-fil-a, it is set to open towards the end of January, but no further confirmation about a specific opening date has been provided by Chick-fil-a.
