SAN FRANCISCO—42 San Francisco streets may be temporarily closed in order to create more space for outdoor dining. Restaurants have filed requests as a part of San Francisco’s Shared Space program. Major London Breed launched this program in May in hopes of aiding the struggling restaurants that have been surviving off of take-out and delivery orders during the pandemic.
If the requests get approved, the selected streets and parking lots will turn their space into more room for tables and chairs so customers can enjoy outdoor dining while still abiding by social distancing guidelines.
Residents of San Francisco have been sharing their thoughts on this new program all over Twitter. One resident tweets a picture of the added dining space with the caption “A much better use of parking spaces. #streetsareforpeople.” Another tweet reads “I went for a bike ride on Valencia Street yesterday and I was stoked to see restaurants taking advantage of the Shared Space Program.”
As of Monday, 42 requests have been filed. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management (DEM) will go through an internal process and decide which streets will be blocked off. A spokesperson for the DEM told the SF Eater that residents in areas where streets are closed will be able to voice concerns about street closures.
Some streets under review are North Beaches Colombus Avenue, Grant Avenue, Shrader Street, Ivy Street, and Octavia Street. For a full list of the 42 requested streets click here.
