Al fresco dining along Glenwood Avenue in Rogers Park begins Friday as part of the Chicago Alfresco program

CHICAGO — Dining in the streets returns Friday to Rogers Park on Glenwood Avenue.

Southbound traffic on Glenwood Avenue between Lunt and Morse Avenues will be closed to drivers for the outdoor dining program, according to an Ald email bulletin. Maria Hadden (49th). The closure allows businesses in the neighborhood to serve customers outside.

The closure has been in the works for a year: it’s part of the Chicago Alfresco initiative, announced in March 2021 by the city to help businesses hit hard by COVID-19. Hadden’s office hosted a community meeting about using Glenwood Avenue for the program last summer.

The Chicago Alfresco initiative aims to expand outdoor dining and create opportunities for businesses and community organizations to design long-term outdoor spaces throughout the city. It was used to help Chicagoans return to restaurants during the pandemic.

The program could be renewed up to three times if this run is successful, Hadden wrote.

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