Traffic at Charlottetown drive-thrus regularly backs up into the street. (CBC)

Joining a long drive-thru lineup for coffee in Charlottetown could soon cost drivers more than a little frustration. They could get a traffic ticket.

For years, city council has struggled with what to do about vehicle queues that spill out into the street and block traffic at the four Tim Hortons locations in the P.E.I. capital.

"There's traffic backing up into intersections, slowing things down and creating some dangerous situations," Coun. Rob Lantz told CBC News on Tuesday.

"We've been hearing the concerns for a while, so we just decided it's time to act.

The city is turning the job of controlling queues over to police. As soon as the weather is suitable, city crews will be putting up signs next to the drive-thrus warning drivers not to stop on city streets to get into the drive-thru lane.

It won't be at the top of the priority list, but police will monitor the traffic at the busiest times.

"Initially we will try and encourage people to move along, but subsequent to that the only thing you can do is look at ticketing," said deputy chief Richard Collins.

"Ticketing will be random and it will be staggered. It's not something that we are going to put the effort into if that's not warranted."

In the coffee lineups Tuesday, Tim Hortons customers were understanding, but expressed some frustration as well.

"I get why the cops would want to do that," said Debbie Kays, "but if there was more parking, it might solve the thing a little better."

"I can understand," said Valerie Warren, "but I don't know where you'd go. That's the problem."

Stimulus money could go for coffee

Coun. Rob Lantz said some of the streets around Tim Hortons coffee shops could be upgraded. (CBC)

There could be a fix coming for one location, at Allen Street and Mount Edward Road. Lantz said that intersection is due for an upgrade, which could put it on the list for infrastructure spending.

"There has been some discussion about the actual design or redesign of the some of the drive-thrus," he said.

"You can imagine there is some significant capital cost involved in doing that."

Part of the discussion has been around how much the owner of the Tim Hortons franchise might contribute to upgrades, but there have been no decisions on that yet.