Curbside pick-up has given way to outdoor dining as picnic tables again replace parking spots on a short stretch of North Linn Street.
Last June, “Northside Outside” turned N Linn from Hamburg Inn to the Market Street intersection into a mini-ped mall to give a new outdoor dining option as restaurants began to reopen after Gov. Kim Reynolds rolled back COVID-19 restrictions on indoor dining. The outdoor option proved popular enough that an effort was made to keep it even as winter began. But even with the addition of a couple of small sheds to provide shelter from the wind, winter won. The tables were removed and the street reopened.
This year’s street closure will last until Oct. 31, according to a news release from the Iowa City Streets and Traffic Engineering Division.
In its statement, the division reminded potential picnickers that the city’s face mask mandate remains in place, so anyone not able to maintain six feet of distance from others will need to wear a face mask while not eating or drinking.
