'Open Restaurants on Open Streets' Program Announced in NYC

The al fresco streets concept is coming to New York City.

1 minute read

July 6, 2020, 5:00 AM PDT

Chelsea Square Restaurant in Chelsea in in New York

Al fresco dining capacity for Chelsea Square Restaurant in New York City, pictured on June 23, 2020. | Shutterstock

"Mayor de Blasio announced far more open streets for restaurants than he initially had promised, revealing that restaurants will be allowed to operate in the roadway of 22 streets starting this weekend — more than the 10-20 roads he had promised last week, when indoor dining still seemed likely to reopen," reports Gersh Kuntzman.

The announcement culminates the city's action to roll out al fresco streets, swiftly acting on an idea that seemed highly speculative at the beginning of May.

Mayor Bill de Blasio piggybacked the al fresco dining program on the city's pre-existing open streets program, the latter launched at the end of April, even naming the new program "Open Restaurants on Open Streets."

The article includes a full list of the streets that will allow restaurants to operate in the roadway, as well as responses from restaurant industry advocates, who call for even more space for restaurants to operate in the public right of way.

FULL STORY: This Just In: Mayor Creates 22 ‘Piazzas’ For Outdoor Dining (You Know, Like Europe Has Been Doing for Decades)

Thursday, July 2, 2020 in StreetsBlog NYC

Infrastructure Land Use Landscape Architecture Transportation New York New York City Open Restaurants on Open Streets Open Streets Al Fresco Streets Al Fresco Coronavirus COVD-19 Coronavirus and Urbanism Public Realm Public Health Economic Stimulus View More

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