Mayor Lauren McLean
I know what a challenging time this has been for everyone personally, but also for restaurants and businesses in our community. We have all been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have made so many sacrifices for the health and safety of the entire community. The City of Boise has named an Economic Recovery Task Force and is working with business owners on urgently needed actions for recovery. We hear you and are here to help find shared solutions.
On May 19, 2020 the mayor and City Council adopted a resolution supporting local businesses by allowing them to temporarily increase the outdoor footprint of their businesses in order to accommodate customers while maintaining required physical distancing between and among customers and staff.
Today, the opening of 8th Street will make its debut. Beginning at 11 a.m., 8th Street businesses and restaurants will open to newly expanded patio footprints. 8th Street north of Idaho Street is closed to motorized vehicle traffic except for delivery hours in the morning from 6 – 11 a.m. A minimum 20-foot wide lane will remain open to provide access to the Fire Department, bike and pedestrian access; signage, barriers, detectable edges, and ramps have been provided to ensure access for our ADA community members. 8th Street from Main Street to Idaho Street will be open on the south side, but parking and sidewalk routes have been modified slightly.
I applaud the City Council for their willingness to look at bold solutions for our community. We welcome requests from other areas in Boise to work with us together on similar solutions. We want to create opportunities in every neighborhood.
I’m excited to see where this innovative solution takes us on the path to new ideas for our business community. We know we will pull through this together to become a stronger and more vibrant community as we jointly create a 21st century Boise for everyone.