Beginning Friday, sections of Price Avenue and Elkins Street in Downtown Wheaton will be closed for the opening of its streetery, which will offer patrons expanded outdoor seating and dining.
Downtown Wheaton will become yet another section of Montgomery County to create a streetery designed for the new norm of socially distanced dining. According to a Montgomery County press release, the streetery was planned by the Wheaton Urban District as part of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) “Shared Streets” initiative. The initiative aims to utilize the county’s sidewalks, roads, street parking and parking lots for spaces that allow “safe, social distanced activity.”
In order for restaurants to create outdoor seating, the westbound side of Price Avenue will be closed. The closure will extend from Fern Street to Elkin Street and past Elkin Street to the eastbound direction stop line. The county’s press release states that Price Avenue’s north-south crosswalk will not be affected.
While patrons visit the streetery, they will have a variety of options for how they choose to dine. Some restaurants will offer outdoor table service, while others will direct customers to order take out and then eat outside. Montgomery County also stated that the Wheaton Streetery “will encourage socially distanced strolls before selecting a place to dine.” Customers may also consider making reservations for seating.
A full list of the Wheaton restaurants that are offering outdoor dining or just pickup and delivery can be found here.
Starting tomorrow, Downtown Wheaton restaurants will offer Streetery dining in expanded outdoor space. Sections of Price Ave. and Elkins St. will close to vehicular traffic as restaurants set up seating on sidewalks and into the closed roadways. Details: https://t.co/H4M1lZpKZp. pic.twitter.com/4U06uNMY55
— Montgomery County MD (@MontgomeryCoMD) June 18, 2020