Chick-fil-A Advancing on Martin Way

If you drive along Martin Way East in Olympia, you may soon see construction activity at the former Red Lobster site.

A new Chick-fil-A proposed for 4505 Martin Way E has officially taken a key step forward in the approval process.

The City of Olympia recently issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). In practical terms, that means the project will not require a full environmental impact statement, clearing one of the larger procedural hurdles in the development timeline.

🏗️ What’s Planned

The proposal calls for:

• A new standalone restaurant building

• A dual drive-thru configuration, similar to other recent Chick-fil-A builds

• On-site parking

• Updated site circulation

The property is already situated in a heavily commercial corridor, surrounded by national retailers and major arterial access, making it a natural fit for another high-traffic restaurant concept.

However, there’s still coordination required between cities.

🚦 Traffic & Access Review

Because part of the site connects near College Street, which falls under the City of Lacey’s jurisdiction, Lacey officials will review the right-in, right-out access configuration.

Given Chick-fil-A’s reputation for high-volume traffic during peak hours, access and traffic flow will likely be a key part of final design discussions.

📍 Chick-fil-A’s Growing Presence in Thurston County

Chick-fil-A has expanded aggressively across the South Sound in recent years.

Current and planned locations now include:

• Lacey

• West Olympia (near Capital Mall)

• Martin Way (proposed)

• Yelm (forthcoming)

The Martin Way site would further solidify the chain’s footprint in the region, positioning locations along multiple high-growth corridors.

📈 Why It Matters

Martin Way has become one of the most active commercial corridors in Thurston County, connecting Olympia, Lacey, and surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Large national brands continuing to invest along this stretch signals:

• Strong consumer demand

• High traffic counts

• Continued population growth

At the same time, new drive-thru development often raises questions around congestion and neighborhood impact, something city planners will continue evaluating as the project moves forward.

⏳ What’s Next?

With the SEPA determination issued, the project can advance through additional permitting and review stages.

No official construction timeline has been announced yet, but momentum is clearly building.

If approved and constructed, this will mark yet another major national chain reinforcing its presence in the South Sound.

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