Parking Planners Second-Guessing their Use of Interstate-Side Dining During COVID

ALBANY - The coronavirus pandemic devastated the restaurant industry. One lifeline was the use of curbside dining that allowed patrons the ability to eat in an open-air, socially-distanced environment. It wasn’t long until those curbs met capacity leading planners to expand the concept to interstate-side dining. “What better way to enjoy your morning coffee, than to be able to take in the sights and sounds of some of our most iconic and beautiful interstate highways systems along with 18 wheelers flying by,” said Kyle Hendricks, CPAM, Parking and Mobility Consultant with some P named Parking Company last summer. But after a slew of hospitalizations and traffic accidents, parking planners are second-guessing this concept. “Look, this concept saved many businesses from bankruptcy the past year. There were a lot of benefits. But after studying the data, I’ll be the first to say, perhaps this wasn’t the safest and most effective strategy to support our local businesses,” says Hendricks. However, some restaurants have no plan of stopping their interstate-side dining options. “Kids eat free Monday through Friday during rush hour,” says Tony Rossi of Tony Rossi’s Pizza. “Parents love the ability to pull over and eat along the freeway median to get a break from the rush hour traffic and let their kids stretch their legs. It’s a win-win,” explains Rossi.