We’ve all been there: sitting in the drive-thru line counting cars and wondering if it would have been faster to order through an app or walk in and order from the counter.
As consumer habits evolve—with mobile orders, curbside pickup, and third-party delivery becoming the norm—businesses are facing new pressures on their infrastructure. Without thoughtful circulation planning, the results can be congestion, safety hazards, inefficient operations, and frustrated customers.
At Galloway, our traffic engineering team helps clients improve site circulation using data-driven strategies and advanced simulations that prioritize safety, efficiency, and the user experience.
At the heart of effective site circulation is the “auto-oriented processing rate.” This metric represents the number of vehicles a site can process per hour. But it’s not just about moving cars quickly, it’s about doing so in a way that maintains safe and smooth circulation for everyone on site and the adjacent road networks. Processing rates matter across a variety of scenarios: drive-thrus, gas stations, loading/unloading zones, Parking Access and Revenue Control (PARC) systems, school pick-up/drop-off, valet stands, and car washes.
Improving processing rates often involves strategies like adding drive-thru lanes, designing queue areas that don’t block circulation, introducing bypass lanes for those who choose not to wait, and selecting the right processing equipment.
However, not every site has the luxury of space. In such cases, we explore low-impact options such as creating dedicated pickup lanes for mobile or online orders, reconfiguring parking lots, enhancing pedestrian pathways and crosswalks, and improving signage and wayfinding.
Our engineers use microsimulation technology to model different solutions and forecast their impact on site performance. We often start by simulating minimal cost interventions such as striping changes or queue management to determine if the issue can be resolved economically. When the data supports it, more advanced configurations are simulated and evaluated as well. In each case, our team brings knowledge from previous projects and applies forward thinking alongside the simulation data. We also calibrate our simulations with available data specific to the use or brand under evaluation.
For example, Galloway partnered with a client seeking to add fuel pumps. While that seemed like an intuitive solution, adding more fuel pumps alone does not always improve the processing rate. Using microsimulation technology, Galloway helped the client determine the most effective solution.
Above: An example of microsimulation used to digitally model the impacts of roadway modifications to traffic flow and patterns.
Another challenge is that many jurisdictions don’t yet have guidelines for these evolving site features. “The approval process in many jurisdictions tends to be reactive when it comes to innovation,” says Les Adkins, transportation engineer project manager at Galloway.
We help clients work with municipalities by answering questions they might have such as:
“We help clients analyze and provide the backing needed to move forward with new ideas—ones the market is demanding but don’t yet have established guidelines,” adds Adkins. “Often, regulators will say, ‘This makes sense, but we need proof before we can approve it.’ We produce that proof to support our clients’ cases.”
“Helping our clients adapt their infrastructure to meet evolving needs is about being a trusted partner and truly understanding how each business operates,” says Will Johnson, senior transportation engineer project manager and regional manager at Galloway. “It’s important to recognize what makes them unique and be ready to offer tailored advice and consultation they can trust.”
Whether you are redesigning a legacy site or breaking into a new market, Galloway’s traffic engineering team is here to help you navigate consumers’ ever-changing behaviors. Learn more about our traffic engineering services.
We are nationally recognized and locally preferred. We would love to work with you on your next project.
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