Limiting drive-thrus can make streets more dangerous for pedestrians and snarl traffic.
St. Paul officials are considering a proposed restriction on drive-thru facilities in some zoning districts, reports Kyle Stokes in Axios. “The proposal isn't a citywide ban — like Minneapolis enacted in 2019 — but in certain zoning districts it would only allow drive-thrus at banks or pharmacies,” Stokes explains.
The proposal aims to make streets in dense neighborhoods safer and more walkable. “The Starbucks at Snelling & Marshall, dubbed ‘Carbucks’ by some social media users, closed its drive-thru in 2022 after years of complaints about cars overflowing from the parking lot into streets and nearby bike lanes.”
The new rules would require a tripling of current drive-thru lane space for waiting cars and fully bans new drive-thrus in the city center. “Other large cities like Atlanta have enacted similar restrictions, often citing traffic research that more ‘conflict points,’ like a drive-thru lane crossing a sidewalk, make streets more dangerous for pedestrians.”
FULL STORY: Years after viral "Carbucks" debacle, St. Paul considers new drive-thru limits
Pedestrian-Friendly Cities: The Impact of Walkability Grants
Explore how walkability grants are transforming cities into pedestrian-friendly environments, enhancing urban livability, boosting local economies, and improving public health.
Houston Developers Question Mayor’s Stance on Pedestrian Projects
The new mayor’s reversal of road safety projects, some already underway or completed, is raising eyebrows among developers who say residents want walkable, mixed-use streets.
Carzilla: How Huge SUVs and Trucks Hurt Pedestrians and Walkable Communities
Ever wonder where the supersizing of cars is going to end? Kaid Benfield dives deep into the subject and suggests five actions we can take to get to a safer spot in the road.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research