Waltham Extends Moody Street Closure For Restaurants

WALTHAM, MA — Moody Street will stay closed to cars until December.

Waltham was one of the first communities to close a main street to cars in an effort to allow restaurants to expand outdoor seating into the street. It was a success, drawing thousands to dine, and by extension shop. Restaurant owners say this is why they've been able to stay in business. Watching the Moody Street success, other municipalities have given the street closures or some variation a try, too.

Earlier this summer, the city extended the street closure to October. Then Thursday, the traffic commission met with business owners on Moody to discuss the proposal to extend the closure another month. The commission approved the move unanimously.

The Moody Street's closure has increased traffic on parallel streets, has reduced the number of parking spaces in that area, reduced the window in which businesses can have deliveries made, created detours for bus routes and made Walnut and Chestnut streets, previously one way streets, two-way, according to the traffic commission.

Even with those side effects, Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy was among the supporters for the proposal.

"The only issue that I've heard other than traffic recently is that people can't have door to door service to their shops," she said suggesting a shuttle service from nearby parking lots to make it easier for shoppers and restaurant-goers to have door-to-door service.

Restaurant owners said the street closure has saved their businesses and they had seen that businesses on Moody Street were benefiting too.

"Some are doing quite well," said Nathan from Tempo. "The Indian market is quite busy if you go inside."

"We would likely be on deaths door or likely closed if it wasn't for the outdoor dining," said Nathan from Tempo. "It's made a huge, huge difference, the ability to continue that is certainly the way to go."

Last weekend, for example, was the coldest weekend so far, but it was also the busiest for Tempo. But that business was all outside.

Other restaurant managers and owners agreed.

"It is cold some nights, but the perception is still that outside is safer, and we want to keep the customers happy," said Shannon Rossi who manages Playmakers and In a Pickle. "Just having the extra month would go a long way."

Rajkumari Sharma, who owns Raj Collections said her business has been fine, but she's worried about getting deliveries to the other businesses, especially in the winter. When delivery trucks come after the 11 a.m. cutoff time, they are forced to cart the deliveries from a distance, which will only get more tiresome in winter.

A number of small business owners said they felt the closure had negatively affected their business. One of the owners of Compadres Barber Shop on Moody Street said he'd heard from fellow barbershops on the street that they were worried about their businesses. The owner of Feminails said she had customers who told her they were going elsewhere because they could no longer park directly in front of her salon.

In response, Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris said the city is working on a 100 day small business challenge, putting a spotlight on the businesses that might be struggling to encourage people to shop there.

"We're trying to give restaurants a fighting chance," said Harris. "Now we have to focus on the small businesses."

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