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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowFive major commercial corridors in Indianapolis could remain closed to traffic through July 4 as part of the city’s reopening plan for accommodating restaurants that can offer outdoor seating.
Portions of Massachusetts Avenue, Illinois Street, Monument Circle, Georgia Street and Broad Ripple Avenue will close Friday to create safe thoroughfares for pedestrians to socially distance and for restaurants in the area to expand outdoor dining.
The traffic lanes will become paths for pedestrians, while street parking spots and sidewalks could be utilized for outdoor seating or to expand retail space.
Beginning Friday, restaurants in Marion County can begin serving sit-down customers outdoors. Restaurants will still be prohibited from serving customers indoors, although that restriction could be lifted June 1.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said Tuesday the streets would remain closed until July 4 weekend at the latest.
Indianapolis Department of Public Works director Dan Parker said that when selecting the streets, the city considered corridor density, existing pedestrian traffic and ADA compliance, as well as where the city’s transit lines run.
He also said the streets chosen already are closed to traffic temporarily throughout the year for special events.
Closing the streets, however, means street parking will be temporarily lost. The earmarked section of Massachusetts Avenue, for example, will lose 384 spots. Parker said there are at least 370 parking spots within 500 feet of the street closure—ample parking to accommodate visitors to the area.
Restaurants that are not located along the streets will be allowed to expand outdoor seating into parking lots and adjoining property.
Before businesses can set up new outdoor seating, they’ll need to file an application with the city in order to get proper permits. That process is being expedited, and fees will be waived.
Hogsett said the Dine Out Indy program will assist restaurants across the city, which have always “been at the center of what makes Indianapolis such a wonderful place to live.”
“Our restaurants have always been there for us,” he said. “They’ve helped us mark birthdays, last days and bad days, and they’ve never balked when it was just a regular day, and you really needed that burger. They’ve been there for us, so now it’s time for us to be there for them.”
For more information about the Dine Out Indy program, including answers to frequently asked questions, or to apply for expand outdoor dining, visit Indy.gov/dineout
The planned closures are as follows:
—Massachusetts Avenue, from its intersection with College Avenue to its intersection with New York and Delaware streets.
—Georgia Street, from Pennsylvania to Illinois streets.
—Illinois Street, from Georgia to Market streets.
—Broad Ripple Avenue, from College Avenue to Monon Trail.
—Monument Circle, southeast and southwest quadrants.
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Hey city geniuses, how about closing Brookville Road in front of my restaurant?
Brookville Road is hardly a dense corridor.
I’m guessing you have plenty of room to add outdoor seating without the need to close a street.
So, Hogsett is “graciously” reopening the downtown restaurants but is now seriously restricting access. A leader Hogsett is not. I would say that his minions devised this pan but this time it seems more like an idea he would develop. Brilliant.
What are they going to do about the smoking ordinances?
Yikes…reminds me of the attempt at creating downtown malls in small towns back in the day….killed all the business along the street due to loss of parking and visibility! Hope the restaurateurs were consulted!
Yep, if I can’t drive up to those restaurants in BR and do carry out not interested in sitting outside. I hope they clean the streets first!
Consulted? It’s Mass Ave, literally one of the most densely populated areas in our entire city! If any area can survive a TEMPORARY lack of parking it should be this one. What business would they possibly killing at this time by allowing ALL these restaurants (including the many that DON’T already have outdoor dining) to expand their service area out onto the sidewalks? There IS NO business at the moment to kill, lol. And it’s until July 4th, they’re not converting it into an outdoor mall (some of which, by the way, are actually quite successful in other cities across America…. Lincoln Rd. in Miami, 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica come to mind immediately).
Imagine the restaurateurs scheduling their employees based on the weather report, or the diners caught in an abrupt rain shower…what could possibly go wrong? It is amazing he city can try to sell this by saying of the restaurants, “now it’s time for us to be there for them.” Furthermore, if the new date to be announced for indoor seating is July 4th, the restaurant fatality list will be quite long and the dining landscape of the city will be drastically changed. Few businesses can survive forced closure for four months.
From the article: Restaurants will still be prohibited from serving customers indoors, although that restriction could be lifted June 1.
It’s not going to be July 4th, no one said July 4th. Calm down…
Too bad the city screwed up College Ave. for the Red Line so the dining establishments along there from Broad Ripple to 38th Street could also benefit.
Personally, I think College Avenue was improved by the Red Line.
Collège Avec is not screwed up by the Red Line. The ‘City’ could close College Avenue as well and Red Line buses could be detoured as buses that use Massachusetts. Bear in mind the College Ave Prior to the Red Line was asymmetric, that means one travel in one direction and two travel lanes in the other direction. The Red Line bus lane and stations are in the center of the street, so there is space to accommodate more outdoor dining. A responsible proactive plan supported by restaurants and the neighborhood could achieve this. Complaints and lack of constructive ideas do not.
As a business owner affected directly by the
decision making of this administration, I have not been consulted. My case number from March has not been addressed. My letter to Deputy Mayor Jeff Bennett has not received a response either.
Typical Hoosier response: “What?!? If I can’t drive up and park IMMEDATELY in front of the door I’ll take my business elsewhere!”. I swear, so many people in Indianapolis are shortsighted and unimaginative. I think this is a BRILLIANT way to help some restaurants survive until restrictions are lifted! A restaurant doesn’t have to be located on one of these closed streets to apply for the outdoor dining permit if they don’t already have one. The reason THESE streets were chosen was for the density of restaurants in the area, many which do NOT already have outdoor dining and, because of where they’re located in dense, pedestrian heavy areas, would not otherwise be able to do so.
Maybe they should erect a bunch of open-sided tents…