BLOOMINGTON — Bloomington's annual Outdoor Dining Program is set to make a return this spring, with city council giving the green light at their Wednesday night meeting.
Kirkwood will be closed to vehicle traffic during the program, which will run from March to October. The Board of Public Works will need to give final approval before the program returns.
The city did not close the street last year because of an ongoing construction project on Indiana Avenue that made Kirkwood the detour route. Instead, the city approved a program for dining "parklets," which occupied the parking spaces in front of restaurants.
Launched in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has traditionally been on a year-to-year renewal process, with a 2028 end date.
Councilmembers Kate Rosenbarger and Isak Asare introduced an ordinance to not only bring back outdoor dining, but remove any restrictions on an end date for the program.
With unanimous approval from council, the annual closure will likely continue for the foreseeable future.
The city’s Transportation Plan from 2019, includes proposals to make Kirkwood into a "shared street" concept, prioritizing pedestrian accessibility over vehicular traffic.
