LOUISVILLE, Colo. — The City of Louisville announced it's closing three blocks of its downtown streets to vehicles to let restaurants use the space for more seating and to keep people socially distanced.
The streets being closed are:
- Main Street from Walnut Street to Spruce Street.
- Main Street from Spruce Street to Pine Street.
- Main Street from Pine Street to Elm Street.
The city said east-west traffic will remain open.
The street closures will remain in effect through at least Oct. 5.
Louisville said the closure of Main Street is the first step in a gradual approach to bring more outdoor dining to the city.
"It's been incredibly hard, being forced to shut down when they’re normally beginning to pick up for the summer," Mayor Ashley Stolzmann said.
"By closing down Main Street, we're going to enable more people to be able to come down and help support the businesses, in a way to try and get [business] back close to what they would normally be seeing."
"I think its going to bring a lot more people downtown. And when town is busy, we're always busy," added Matthew Mulkey, the General Manager of Zucca Italian Ristorante on Main Street.
People can start dining outside Friday. However, the city said not all of the restaurants may offer outdoor dining the first weekend.
Louisville said people should contact Main Street restaurants directly for reservations and to get information on availability and opening plans.
The city laid out rules for people wanting to eat downtown.
- Facial coverings are required for anyone over the age of 3 when:
- Food and drinks are finished being consumed.
- Ordering, paying or interacting with employees or other customers.
- Entering and exiting restaurants or the outdoor dining area.
- Face coverings can be taken off to eat and drink.
- No more than eight people per party.
- People must keep a six-foot distance when possible.
- Contactless payment is preferred.
- If you're feeling sick, stay home.
Stolzmann said local artists are helping beautify the street closure, by painting some of the barriers that are helping block traffic. Their artwork also promotes an arts festival that was canceled this year and moved online due to the pandemic.
Other communities that have announced similar closures are Arvada, Frisco in Summit County and Breckenridge.
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