I realize we are in an existential fight against fascism, but, in terms of policy, the mainland colony of D.C. still (for now, anyway) has control over things like this that affect day-to-day life, so let’s ignore the existential horror for the time it takes to read a blog post.

Anyway, last week, D.C. announced that it will make changes to its Streatery Program (dining in parking spaces) that will likely end the program (boldface mine):

D.C.’s Temporary Streatery Program, which was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to support local businesses, will end on Nov. 30. It allowed restaurants to set up curbside dining during a time when people were barred from eating indoors in groups.

“The businesses couldn’t have survived the pandemic without it,” said Kristen Barden, executive director of the Adams Morgan Partnership BID. “It was a real lifeline.”

The District Department of Transportation has created a permanent Streatery Program with big changes. The space for the streatery used to be free, but businesses must now pay $20 per square foot. They will also have to pay for the barriers plus any permits and fees.

Barden said the additional costs are not feasible for businesses already struggling with rising food and labor costs.

“It’s kind of disappointing that the city doesn’t see this more as a revenue generator,” she said. “The sales taxes alone should more than compensate these fees that they’re trying to impose.”

Thirty-three businesses in Adams Morgan have temporary streateries, but Barden said only three restaurants plan to make them permanent.

Admittedly, this fits squarely into the mindset of “what would a suburbanite (which includes parts of D.C. along with most Council members and the mayor) who drives everywhere like to see”, so it’s not surprising. But it’s a bad policy. This program has been a boon for street life, and for all the recent concerns about ‘crime vibes’ (as opposed to the reality of crime), having this feels much safer (not that it was ever dangerous in most places) with people dining outside than it would with a sterile wall of fucking SUVs.

And that’s was frustrating about this policy, it replaces people eating outside with cars, and for most restaurants, we’re talking about two, maybe three cars. It just won’t bring that much additional traffic to neighborhoods, and it lowers the quality of life.

I’m not surprised that a car-dependent Council and Mayor are going along with this, but it’s bad policy.

Aside: It’s not even clear what this new policy means for something like 17th Street NW in Dupont Circle, where most restaurants’ streateries are part of the street design–the street is laid out (west to east): parking-bike lane-curbside dining. D.C. would have to redo the street, and I don’t see how that’s preferable to what’s there now, or cost-effective.