WALTHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - A Waltham businessman is sounding the alarm and calling on the mayor to make changes to the outdoor seating policy in that city.
Firefighters racing to a call after a woman collapsed outside a row of Moody Street shops were delayed after a row of tables got in the way.
“The fire engine was standing still for over five minutes before they were able to get to the poor woman who was probably having a heart attack,” said Moody Street building owner Ralph Amelia.
Amelia said his building has been almost completely off-limits for cars all summer long because of the expansion of outdoor dining. He says delivery trucks and emergency crews share the same narrow lane here, and the lack of parking is cutting his tenants’ revenue by up to two-thirds.
“Even the owners of the businesses have a hard time getting here,” he said. “So, if the owners are having a hard time getting here, the customers are completely lost.”
He, along with a group of business owners, met with Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy to voice their concerns Tuesday.
McCarthy told 7NEWS over the phone that she is taking it up with the city’s traffic commission and exploring alternatives. But, while some businesses have suffered, others have soared.
“My business has come up like 60 percent,” said Indulgenza Cafe owner Isabel Pochesci.
Pochesci said the foodie scene on Moody Street is thriving and nearly all the restaurants and bars are getting a boost.
“People are really happy to have a space to sit, have a coffee, have a gelato,” she said. “I feel like all this brings more people to the area.”
Most business owners in the area say they are open to hybrids that allow cars at some times or in some places but, Amelia says shops will shutter and people might get hurt if something doesn’t change.
“I did my share as a citizen, the rest of it is up to the city to correct the problem,” he said.
Outdoor dining in Waltham is seasonal and set to end in October.
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