Moody Street In Waltham Closes As Restaurants Prepare For Outdoor Dining
WALTHAM (CBS) -- With the start of Phase Two on Monday, restaurants will be able to offer outdoor dining. Moody Street in Waltham has been closed to traffic for the summer, allowing more space for restaurants.
Barricades and police officers stand on each end of the street so tables can be brought out into the road.
Michael Columba, the owner of Brelundi, said the partial reopening provides some sense of relief. He is working to set up seating outside in the lawn and parking area.
"I will be the happiest guy if I can break even," he said.
Customers are happy to see the comeback from the coronavirus pandemic closures underway.
"The contrast of before versus during was crazy," said Waltham resident Rosie Crawford. "It just turned into a ghost town."
She added, "This is a really busy street, it's popping. People come from other towns to get food here a lot.
Guidelines for restaurants are based heavily on social distancing: each table must be six feet apart with no more than six people at a table. Face coverings are required for both workers and customers while walking around the restaurant. Strict cleaning and disinfecting protocols are required.
After months of hanging on, restaurant owners are hoping people will feel comfortable dining out because investing in the necessary equipment adds up.
"Now it's tables, chairs, umbrellas which aren't really cheap, planters, you have to get your staff PPE equipment," explained restaurant owner Jeff Abellard.
Indoor dining will be allowed later on in Phase Two but even when that begins, Gov. Charlie Baker said he would prefer most people remain outside if possible.