COVID Crisis Revives Debate About How Public Space Is Used

In the late 2000s, the parklets craze swept through cities, symbolizing what was then a nascent movement to reclaim street space from cars. San Francisco permitted some two-dozen of them and became, arguably, the parklet capital of the world. But what was a clever amenity with a cute name may become a lifeline for some urban businesses struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout. Widespread permitting of parklets is one of the ways that cities are repurposing public and semi-public spaces to create more room for pedestrians to practice social distancing – and for businesses to operate safely in the open air. “Given the limited vehicular traffic that we have on the streets now with people sheltering in place…this presents a unique opportunity to reclaim our public spaces for public use,” said Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin. In recent weeks, cities throughout California have fast-tracked programs and permitting schemes to allow restaurants to set up dining areas in parking lots and on sidewalks. Cities are also allowing fitness and yoga studios to take over public space for classes. Most ambitiously, some cities are closing off streets to traffic entirely in order to allow residents to walk, job, and ride bikes — either for fitness or for commuting — without having to compete with cars. Some programs and proposals around the state include:

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