Austin converts on-street parking spots into food pick-up zones to help restaurants offering takeout

AUSTIN, Texas — On Thursday, Austin Transportation announced it will convert paid on-street parking spaces into free temporary loading zones to help with food pick-ups, as restaurants transition to take-out and delivery-only service.

On Tuesday, Austin Mayor Steve Adler announced all restaurant dining areas must close to help stop the spread of coronavirus. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the same closures statewide.

“Austin Transportation has begun converting some paid on-street parking spaces near restaurants into free temporary loading zones to make room for more people to pick up food while practicing appropriate social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” the organization said in a release.

Austin Transportation said the first locations to receive temporary customer pick-up zones are in areas with high concentrations of restaurants on blocks that do not otherwise have enough loading options and off-street parking is no available.

An interactive map has been created to show where the temporary pick-up zones are located.

RELATED: Here's a list of Austin restaurants offering to-go, delivery or curbside pick-up

Around 50 curbside customer pick-up zones have been created. They are marked with blue and white signs that say “food pick-up priority,” Austin Transportation said.

The City of Austin plans to establish more temporary customer pick-up zones in the coming days based on needs evaluations and field observations.

Restaurants can request an evaluation by filling out the form on SmartMobilityATX.com.

In addition to practicing social distancing, the city of Austin encourages people to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

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