Don't Expect Elmhurst To Close Streets For Restaurants

ELMHURST, IL — Some suburbs are closing streets to allow restaurants to expand outdoor seating. But Elmhurst Mayor Steve Morley said Monday the city is going a different route, saying restaurants are not asking for street closures.

"First of all, a lot of the suburbs are creating public dining areas. They are not extensions of restaurants. Basically, people are getting carryout and walking to picnic tables," Morley said at the City Council's meeting. "That really doesn't help restaurants who are trying to bring their employees back. Servers aren't required for that setup."

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Also, the mayor said, restaurants have told us it would be tough on their staff to walk farther down the block to deliver food.

Additionally, Morley said restaurants aren't close enough to make street closures a good option.

"While it sounds like a good idea, the devil is in the details, and a lot of restaurants say the way we are doing things is working for them," he said.

The city, instead, is taking action to allow restaurants to maximize their outdoor seating. It is letting them eliminate the ropes and barricades between tables and sidewalks. And the city is allowing restaurants to have tables up and down the block if a "handshake deal" with neighbors allows them to do so, Morley said. Otherwise, he said, the city will allow eateries to expand their tables down the block after their retailing neighbors close for the night.

Because of the governor's order on the coronavirus, indoor dining is still banned.