Traffic A Concern With Framingham TGI Fridays Plan: Police, Fire

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A development company's plan to tear down the Framingham TGI Fridays location to build several new drive-thru businesses has faced questions about traffic from city police and fire officials.

In April, the owner of Shoppers World, Cleveland-based SITE Centers, revealed plans to demolish the fast-casual restaurant on the south side of the shopping plaza. Plans call for Fridays to be replaced with a standalone drive-thru restaurant, plus a separate three-business building containing a restaurant, retail store and another drive-thru. The two buildings would be separated by a small parking lot.

Framingham police safety officer Keith Strange and Assistant Fire Marshal Will Gingras both said the plans will need to include appropriate signage and a "a good traffic management plan" to make sure traffic doesn't interfere with Route 9 and other roadways. There are other drive-thru businesses nearby — including a Chick-fil-A along Route 30 — but none in the interior of Shoppers World.

The planning and design firm VHB met with police and fire officials on June 14 to discuss the concerns.

"The design includes additional pavement width to by-pass of vehicles queued in the drive-through lanes," a summary of the meeting by VHB said. "Additional on-site circulation within the parking lots are also available should there be a need for occasional added stacking. The Proponent will also work with the prospective tenants to deploy staff to monitor peak time queues during the first two weeks of operations until customers become familiar with the proposed circulation plan for the site."

Plans for the development created by VHB do not show any new entrances to Shoppers World along Route 9. Drivers would enter the new plaza via Ring Road.

The plan for the TGI Fridays redevelopment will go before the Planning Board for a public hearing on July 1. The developers are seeking several special permits for the project.