Stop stalling, Modesto — help downtown restaurants survive COVID-19
You would think that helping downtown restaurants survive a crisis like COVID-19 would be near the top of any city’s priority list.
Unfortunately, Modesto politics appear capable of stalling even the most obvious solution. Like temporarily closing a street or two, or narrowing traffic lanes, to encourage dining out in the open, where the coronavirus is much less likely to be passed among people.
It’s not a novel concept. Cities all across America, from Miami to San Francisco — and nearby Turlock — have manipulated traffic patterns to help diners feel protected without cars whizzing by, in turn helping struggling merchants to make it through the pandemic.
Weeks ago, downtown Modesto business advocates sought help from City Hall.
Weeks later, they’re still waiting.
Why is city government dragging its feet?
Not because they need a model to follow. Like we said, examples abound of other cities embracing alfresco dining, with success and gratitude from patrons and restaurants alike.
Modesto has the added advantage of a new downtown master plan developed by experts paid by our tax dollars who specifically explored the economic benefits of narrowing some streets. We already have a blueprint.
But nothing comes easy when people let politics get in the way of a good idea.
Members of our deeply divided City Council have openly admitted that they don’t trust each other, creating a rift that has produced two camps. Top city staff are forced to choose between the two. Too often, the result is dysfunction.
It may well be that the only cure for this sickness comes with the Nov. 3 election, when up to five of the seven council seats could turn over.
But pinning hope on distant unity is foolish, because downtown restaurants are suffering now. By the time new council members are seated — late November or early December, or next year in the event of a runoff in the mayor’s race — the weather will have turned cold and no one will want to eat outside.
We need action, and we need it now.
Hoping to force City Hall off its easy chair, several prominent downtown business leaders united in a strongly worded letter to all council members, all candidates for council and top city officials. Without swift action, many small businesses won’t survive, said the signers who represent the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Modesto Partnership, the Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Modesto Downtown Improvement District, the Stanislaus Community Foundation and Opportunity Stanislaus.
They noted that most downtown restaurants don’t have large parking lots, part of which might be blocked off to accommodate plein air tables, like you see elsewhere in Modesto.
Get it done, Modesto
They shouldn’t have had to write that letter.
City officials should have made it happen weeks ago.
“We have to be careful not to create an environment where we are unwittingly inviting the spread of COVID-19 through an increase of crowded streets,” City Manager Joe Lopez said in an email response to a Modesto Bee inquiry.
Of course. But no one’s talking about throngs of people like we used to get for Fourth of July parades.
Modesto restaurants must strictly observe distancing protocols between tables to keep everyone as safe as possible. Servers must wear masks, and diners, too, except when eating. But undue caution must not be used as an excuse for inaction.
Other cities — Chicago, Philadelphia, Burbank and many more — have shown that altering traffic patterns to help restaurants can be done without spiking COVID infections.
We can, too.