The Growing Footprint of Al Fresco Streets

The al fresco streets movement, moving dining and retail space into the public realm in space historically devoted to automobiles, continues to gain momentum around the country.

3 minute read

May 28, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Coronavirus Open Streets

The bespoke al fresco set up for Tequilas Taqueria & Tequila Bar in Tampa, as pictured at the beginning of May. | Jose Fernandez / Facebook

Planetizen has been tracking the increasing deployment of al fresco streets around the country as more cities adopt land use planning and transportation engineering changes to allow for retail and restaurant businesses to set up in the outdoors as the coronavirus pandemic lingers and Americans continue to keep their distance as the economy begins to reopen. 

The latest wave of cities to adopt the al fresco streets model for local economic stimulus include San Francisco and Farmingdale, New York, among others reflecting a growing consensus, across wide disparities in geography and economy, of the al fresco streets idea. The differences in each program shows a variety of permitting and design process changes to reflect the unique cities around the country. Given the tough challenges remaining for local businesses during the remaining duration of the pandemic and the experimental aspect of all these changes, streets are likely to continue delivering new iterations of this idea. 

In San Francisco, for instance, the city is waiving permitting fees for businesses to fast-track the process of converting to outdoor operations, as described in a paywalled article by Dominic Fracassa. San Francisco is calling its al fresco streets process the "Shared Streets Program." Eve Batey provides additional coverage of San Francisco's Shared Streets Program for Eater LA. 

In Farmingdale, an article by Ted Phillips frames the al fresco streets effort as a chance to convert the city's "once bustling" downtown into an "outdoor dining room."

"The village has drawn up plans to close traffic on Main Street and set up 424 seats on Friday and Saturday evenings when restaurants are allowed to reopen," according to Philips. "That lets bars and restaurants with wait service have between 10 and 18 seats on the street in addition to their indoor seating."

The question of whether the measures enacted to support restaurants will be enough to keep businesses alive during the pandemic, is an open question in Farmingdale. 

Numerous other large cities around California have implemented al fresco streets programs of some variety in recent weeks, like Long Beach and San Jose. Smaller communities in CaliforniaFlorida, and New York have also created new al fresco dining opportunities in spaces previously reserved for cars. Albuquerque is on board, too.

The debate about how much public space should be reapportioned to protect Americans from the coronavirus, while also reopening some of the economy to put people back to work, is very much ongoing, so the artifacts of persuasion that have won over skeptical politicians and the public in these cities are notable to advocates. Each new city that decides to convert outdoor space to restaurant and retail uses swings the planning pendulum away from the car-centric tradition. As advocates press holdouts to reconfigure streets, in New York City and Philadelphia, for instance, planners and local officials should be aware of the flexibility of precedent programs to respond to emerging lessons, the unique needs and constraints of each jurisdiction, and ongoing questions about equity and equality in public space. 


James Brasuell

James Brasuell, AICP is the former editorial director of Planetizen and is now a senior public affairs specialist at the Southern California Association of Governments. James managed all editorial content and direction for Planetizen from 2014 to 2023, and was promoted from manging editor to editorial director in 2021. After a first career as a class five white water river guide in Trinity County in Northern California, James started his career in Los Angeles as a volunteer at a risk reduction center in Skid Row.

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view of red brick multi-story power plant building in Pittsburgh, PA.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower

A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

July 4 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cyclist on protected bike lane in middle of street in Washington D.C. with Washington Monument obelisk visible in background.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”

The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

July 4 - Streetsblog USA

Blue and silver Amtrak train at small station.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train

The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

July 3 - New Orleans City Business