COVID-19 | Blue Ridge Corridor Alliance

As we navigate our new and hopefully temporary normal way of life, we want to share what we can about our local businesses on and around the Blue Ridge Corridor and how COVID-19 is affecting normal operating hours.

We will continuously update this page as we receive new information.

If your business is on the corridor and you would like to be added here, please email andrea@brcalliance.org.

Ways to Expand Outdoor Dining During COVID-19

We are sharing the following information to help you evaluate the options for expanded outdoor dining options for your business.

Are you a restaurant, coffee shop, wine shop, brewery, or bottle shop interested in adding or expanding your outdoor dining to provide more options for customers and increase your sales opportunities during COVID-19? The City of Raleigh has created a simplified and broader process for temporary outdoor dining extensions during this time.

These options are in many cases new and they are evolving as the city works to make them possible. As such, there may be city and state regulations that may not allow them to be used within the Hillsborough St. corridor, or require additional work to develop solutions to let them be utilized. For example, Hillsborough Street is a State NC DOT road, and as such that limits some options.

There are five options below, some of which might work better than others in our community.

Option 1: Expand into Sidewalk

You can now go beyond the frontage of your business with additional tables and chairs while keeping a pedestrian right-of-way and can keep your on-street parking/curbside pick-up.

Option 2: Parklet

A parklet provides potentially more space for outdoor dining than Option 1, allowing for drinking and dining in an adjacent on-street parking space. This could be a great option for businesses on narrow sidewalks and the City allows up to two spaces to be used for temporary parklets per business.

Option 3: Pedlet

What is a pedlet? A pedlet is when the pedestrian walkway (normally on the sidewalk) is rerouted from the sidewalk to on-street parking space to allow for outdoor dining to fill the entire sidewalk area in front of the business.

Option 4: Neighboring Parking Lot

If you are interested in providing outdoor dining on a neighboring parking lot, please contact the property owner of the lot directly. The lot needs to be directly adjacent to the business in order to allow for full food and beverage service.

Option 5: Street Closure

Street closures for outdoor dining will be treated similarly to a special events permit. To learn more, please contact hospitalitypermits@raleighnc.gov .

For more information and details on these options please use this link to information developed by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance for their community.

Questions about what option is best for you? Give us a call, and we’d be glad to talk through options that would work best for you and your business and assist you with the application and engagement with City staff. Every business is unique, what works best for one restaurant, may not be the best option for another. Please reach out to Andrew Blackburn, at Andrewb@hillsboroughstreet.org or 919-800-0135 for additional help.

Update 7/14/2020 – Governor Roy Cooper has extended Phase 2 through August 7, 2020 and NC Public schools will allow modified in-person teaching. Read the July 14th update here.

Face coverings within the City of Raleigh are still required. Read the full proclamation here.

Below are a list of resources to help during this developing situation.

Lane Construction – I-440 Beltline Widening Project Update – 7.31.2020

City of Raleigh – City of Raleigh COVID-19 updates can be found on their website.

Wake County Wake County COVID-19 Updates

UNC REX HEALTHCARE – https://www.unchealthcare.org/coronavirus/

CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Give Back – Ways to help local businesses in the corridor and Greater Raleigh area.

Small Business Help – Coronavirus Emergency Loans for Small Business

In support of not only the Blue Ridge Corridor, but also the greater Raleigh area, we are joining in with the City of Raleigh #WeAreRaleigh campaign and we invite you to do the same!

Please use and share the below activities and graphics with your businesses and families!

Print a Free Coloring Sheet

We have created coloring sheets for kids of all ages to enjoy!

There are two options below; one with a Blue Ridge Corridor sign and another without it for those outside the corridor. Enjoy!

Click to print for BRCA

Click to Print for General Raleigh

Share!

We would love to see your artwork! Please feel free to snap a photo of your finished coloring sheet and tag us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using @BRCAlliance and #WeAreRaleigh #BlueRidgeCorridor.

Email Signature Logos

Show your support by adding #WeAreRaleigh #BlueRidgeCorridor and one of the below logos to your email signature.

To save a logo, right click on the image and save to your computer.