Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot pushed the outdoor dining program in Chicago, specifically in North Side neighborhoods like Lakeview, Gold Coast, and River North. The initiative was aimed at keeping restaurants afloat during COVID-19 restrictions on indoor dining and countering negative perceptions of the city's safety.
Urbanists and advocates for reducing car traffic supported the outdoor dining program, hoping it could become a permanent feature of Chicago's streets. Street closures for outdoor dining were seen as a way to attract people back to Downtown Chicago and create a European atmosphere in the city.
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