Overview
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed Intro. 0655 on Aug. 31, 2026, formally restoring year‑round outdoor dining on city roadways.
- The law removes the prior Nov. 30–March 31 teardown requirement and directs the New York City Department of Transportation to issue rules that allow temporary winterization of roadway dining while preserving safety and pedestrian access.
- The measure permits restaurants to retrofit roadway structures with cold‑weather coverings and lowers the roadway‑cafe closing time to 11 p.m., while keeping program fees in place.
- Officials said the change aims to boost participation after licensed roadway sites fell from about 12,000 at the pandemic peak to roughly 1,600 this spring, and the Mayor is pushing a November ballot proposal and administrative fixes to speed permitting and cut costs.
- Supporters say year‑round dining will help small businesses add customers and jobs, and the law keeps cleanliness rules such as weekly under‑floor inspections and fully removable furniture to address past rodent and trash concerns.