Rockford’s Main Street Opening To Traffic

The Rockford Outdoor Refreshment Area was one of those bright spots during the pandemic. In a sign that things are slowly getting back to normal...Rockford's Main Street will be opening up to traffic. Now that the indoor seating restrictions for bars and restaurants has been lifted, the changes are reflected in Rockford. You'll be able to drive and park on Main Street soon. This is where I'll sing Bob Seger's Main Street....

City employees will begin removing outdoor seating, firepits and other structures from Main Street on Wednesday, June 30, according to a Facebook post.

Main Street will return to normal traffic flow on Friday, July 2. The Rockford Outdoor Refreshment Area district will remain in effect until at least December of this year. The City council will consider extending it for another year in December.

The city council said on their Facebook Page,

"We understand that many patrons remain hesitant to eat indoors, and the RORA district better enables patrons the ability to purchase take-out food and adult beverages to enjoy in our downtown or at a local park."

Rockford is well-known for its festivals and events. For a complete look at Rockford's calendar of events, click here.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Thursday, May 20 that Michigan restaurants can accommodate more guests starting June 1. By June 22, the state has been re-opened completely. The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association, which represents more than 5,000 foodservice and lodging businesses, said it would pivot toward helping the industry solve its worker policies and labor shortage issues.