Outdoor Dining Expands In Chicago This Weekend

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois enters Phase 4 of re-opening on Friday.

But the city of Chicago is already moving forward with plans to expand outdoor dining. Five more corridors will close to cars and other vehicles.

Parts of Balmoral, Taylor and 75th Streets, along with Chinatown Square and Oliphant Avenue will be used to make room for more outside restaurant seats.

Earlier this month, the City Council eased up on outside seating restrictions approving more than 1,000 sidewalk cafe permits.

It also gave partial refunds to more than 500 businesses who already paid for a full annual permit. The move is meant to help restaurants get back on their feet as they recover financially from the coronavirus stay-at-home order.