Two and a half blocks of Kirkwood Avenue will close to automobile traffic starting April 3 as a part of the City of Bloomington’s Expanded Outdoor Dining Program. The city will install bollards and barriers from April 3-5.
According to a City of Bloomington press release, the closure will run until October 1, making the closure shorter than previous years. Last year's sections of Kirkwood Avenue were closed from March 11 to Oct. 31.
According to a City of Bloomington legislative packet, the closure includes the same blocks as previous years. The closure includes the blocks between Grant Street and Dunn Street and the blocks between Dunn Street and Indiana Avenue. Dunn Street will remain open to automobile traffic. It also includes the west half of the block from Washington Street to Walnut Street.
[Related: Council votes to renew Kirkwood closure for expanded outdoor dining]
The Expanded Outdoor Dining Program started in 2020 in response to COVID-19 capacity constraints. This year, the Bloomington City Council voted unanimously in favor of renewing the program on March 1.
Restaurants must pay a fee to participate in the Expanded Outdoor Dining program. Restaurants that are not on Kirkwood Avenue can pay to use on-street parking spaces for additional seating.
According to a City of Bloomington legislative packet, the program generated $38,750 in total revenue from participating businesses in 2022. If business participation in the program remains the same, the city estimates that the overall fiscal impact of the Expanded Outdoor Dining Program this year would total $90,808. This amount indicates the approximate public investment for encouraging sustainability, vitality and economic growth within downtown Bloomington.
