Corby Kummer: Outdoor Dining Issue Is "Bedeviling A Lot Of Cities"

Outdoor dining in Boston remains a contentious issue this year, as Mayor Michelle Wu released plans that curtail what restaurants in the North End are allowed to offer.

“This is bedeviling a lot of cities,” said Corby Kummer on Boston Public Radio on Monday, citing ongoing debates in New York City about traffic and trash concerns.

Last year, North End businesses were required to pay an extra fee for al fresco dining. This year’s plan limits North End businesses to outdoor space only on sidewalks, and only those of “adequate” width, according to the Boston Globe.

The Globe’s Editorial Board also published a piece calling for the city to make the North End a pedestrian zone for the summer to allow North End restaurants to offer more outdoor dining on par with the rest of the city.

“I think the access should be equalized for all parts,” said Kummer. "The Globe is saying one-way traffic is one thing in the summer, shut it down, make it a pedestrian zone. That’s a great idea in principle, but you try re-routing traffic when the tunnels are going to be closed for construction.”

Corby Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy