Opinion: Are Streateries Still Cool or a Disaster Waiting to Happen?
By • November 10, 2025 10 632
Another buzzword that has stuck around since the pandemic is “streateries.” The D.C. Department of Transportation opened the citywide Temporary Streateries Program in June of 2020. The DDOT’s Temporary Streatery Permit program expires on November 30, extended from July 31. All food establishments must obtain a Streatery Design Permit from DDOT to bring their structures into compliance with DDOT’s new permanent program that is offering “forever permits,” which will require no formal renewal.
The streateries became especially popular in Georgetown at restaurants like Clyde’s on M Street and Café Georgetown on N Street, both of which had not had outdoor space before. Eventually, about 45 Georgetown eateries had temporary streatery permits, but at what cost? M Street is a segment of the city that so many people use to get to Maryland and Virginia and other parts of D.C., and traffic is horrendous as it is.
However, there are some positives to streateries as well, like more opportunities to interact with the community, and a sort of Parisian feel to sitting outside on a nice day, enjoying a meal with friends.
Over the years, various fees for applications and new regulations have been added. Umbrellas and weather protections of various kinds were installed by restaurants.
Traffic barriers were diverse and often decorated with live plant material, but problems began to accumulate (rats anyone?). As previously mentioned, there were concerns about traffic, less street parking, and the safety of bikers trying to navigate around the streateries.
Visual appeal of unmaintained streateries and especially the jersey barriers were increasingly voiced at community meetings.
“Jersey barriers have this sort of temporary feeling,” said Elizabeth Miller, president of the Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces. “They’re heavy, they feel a little bit like you’ve entered a war zone.”
An example of a messy, uninviting streatery. Courtesy Georgetown Coalition for Public Spaces.
Community organizations like Georgetown’s Advisory Neighborhood will have no official say in future renewals. This is directly reminiscent of Georgetown’s liquor licensing issues in the 1990s, which you can read more about at the Alcohol Beverage and Cannabis Administration website https://abca.dc.gov/.
Many streateries are choosing not to reapply. And some of the most popular ones, like Martin’s Tavern, may need special permits because of their corner location and tenting type of weather protection. Georgetown’s ANC is adamant that the permit issues by the end of the month by the DDOT not be “forever.”
There will be ongoing inevitable changes needed for buses and parking spaces, innovations in safety materials, opposition to jersey barriers, flex posts, large painted pathways, and the like.
Yes, streateries have given new popularity to Georgetown’s dining nightlife. However, maintaining the special quality of Georgetown is a must.
An example of a clean streatery at 1310 Wisconsin Ave. N.W. Courtesy Georgetown BID.
What is your opinion on streateries? Comment below and let us know!
Limit the number of steateries. I approve ONLY if there are strict design standards AND permits are for 3 years only. I worry that there will be no enforcement. We are losing historic Georgetown. We need to insist on exceptions to city-wide policies that will ruin the architectural fabric of our little town-the only preserved town of this size in the nation.
Georgetown’s streets and sidewalks are too narrow for streateries, scooters and bikes, bike lanes, bus stops (not to mention pedestrians and parking). The parking pressure on residential side streets is at an all time high. It’s time to put an end to the Georgetown BID’s and DDOT’s magical thinking that all can fit safely AND not sacrifice historic and visual integrity. Public space belongs to everyone — not just restaurants. The architecture, views, and public spaces that make Georgetown unique must be protected. Let’s protect Georgetown’s safety, accessibility, and historic charm with common-sense planning, not cluttered streetscapes. It’s time to pull them up and go back to the drawing board before any “forever” permits are issued.
Time for Guidelines & Enforcement! It’s been 5 years since the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency when temporary/emergency streateries were erected. The time has come for these streateries to follow common-sense rules and regulations, similar to what other commercial owners and homeowners must follow. 1) OGB review should be mandatory 2) The District should enforce its own proposed rules and not allow endless “exceptions” 3) There should be NO “forever permits” 4) Reasonable fees should apply in the public space 5) Enforcement is crucial. @cpsgeorgetown on instagram
Get rid of the streeteries NOW! Reclaim public space for the people. Covid-era emergency programs should expire and Georgetown should be restored.
I am a designer that lives in Georgetown and there are many of us please get us altogether who live in Georgetown and let us be on a committee that has input on design we are here and we would do it for free. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. I have never seen anything more unattractive than the peeling paint cement blocks that you use for design maybe in a third world country, they are rat infested, ugly and you have created a land grab. Stop the insanity
GT is full of boomers who hate nothing more than young(er) people having fun. Streateries are a case in point: easily the best innovation in DC urbanism in decades, and all we hear are complaints about losing parking space for some A-hole’s Chevy Suburban.
Get rid of the streeteries NOW! Some are barely used and all block too much parking. Delivery trucks hold up too much traffic because of the streeteries and there is a lot of rodent activity under the platforms. Please get rid of them!!!!
-Worse traffic/ unsafe traffic,
-Not enough parking,
-Dangerous driving and motorized biking due to less roadspace,
-Historic ‘feel’ given over to tourist ‘feel’,
-More rats,
-More importance given to attracting tourists than to residents
Get rid of ‘temporary’ streeteateries!!!!
For those of us who live in Georgetown, —thumbs down on streeteries. Not enough room, crowded, junky, non supervised and a rat attractor. No! No!
Streateries are unsightly, take up necessary sidewalk and/or parking spaces, and provide free real estate to restaurant owners. Streateries should be eliminated, not given forever status. The Georgetown BID and the U.S. DOT are making permanent something that was intended to be temporary and ruining our Georgetown.