How To Fix Washington DC's New Rules for Outdoor Dining

About this episode

Urban designers Abby Newsham and Edward Erfurt discuss how Washington DC can improve its outdoor dining regulations to better support local businesses.

Last week, we heard how DC's outdoor dining regulations threaten local businesses. Today, urban designers Abby Newsham and Edward Erfurt explore how DC could course-correct. They share creative ways that cities can maintain safety while supporting local businesses and even improving the design of their streets. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES "After five years, D.C. streateries hit with higher costs and more rules" by By Tim Carman and Rachel Weiner, The Washington Post (November 2025) Painting of a food hall street (Passeig de l'Escultor Miquel Blay, Olot, Espana by Abby Newsham) Abby Newsham (X/Twitter) Edward Erfurt (LinkedIn) Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom. This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

People in this episode

Host: Strong Towns

Guests: Abby Newsham, Edward Erfurt

Topics covered

• outdoor dining
• urban design
• local businesses
• regulations
• safety
• street design

Keywords

• Washington DC
• outdoor dining
• urban design
• local businesses
• safety
• streets

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Strong Towns, The Washington Post

Books & works: Passeig de l'Escultor Miquel Blay

Places: Washington DC

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