Morning coffee creating extra congestion

Coffee shop at train station in Taipei

The Washington Post reports on a new study by the FHWA on how extra trips to the coffee shop before going to work has increased traffic congestion. The study gives examples of how businesses choose to locate depending on commuter vehicular traffic flow and more men, instead of women, are making daily short trips for a single purpose - like getting a cup of coffee.

What isn't discussed is that perhaps people are going out of their way to seek places to gather and simply BE before having to go to the office or work and becoming a worker. Case in point: I just moved closer to my office, and can now walk to work, but I still cherish my morning coffee from the corner coffee stand, not because of his coffee per se (I actually prefer my own at home) but because it's nice to start the day with a friendly exchange and to see some of my fellow pedestrians on the way. I hate to admit it, but Starbucks has brought the pleasure of drinking coffee and sitting in a cafe back to the mainstream.

This is not just about transportation, it's also a community development issue. I think this is more like a Third Place syndrome, and as access to Third Places diminish (e.g., coffee shops, the local pub, the park bench, etc) or just require more travel, this study shows that people will make the trip to fulfill a social craving.

For other cities, how about locating cafes and newspaper stands in public transit hubs? There aren't nearly enough of those amenities at bus and train stations, and both things, while small, make the trip so much more pleasant.