What are we doing this afternoon? As Martha and the Vandellas (and later David Bowie & Mick Jagger) say, we’ll be dancing in the street! Literally!

The City of Charlotte started its “Shared Streets” initiative last weekend in an effort to give everyone a little more space during a time of social distancing. We all need to get out for a walk every now and then to stave off the cabin fever and the city is giving us more room to stretch our legs.

Under the “Shared Streets” program, Charlotte has closed five streets to through traffic and temporarily designated them as a space for physical exercise.

On the program’s webpage, the city says “Shared Streets is intended to support outdoor exercise; create a safer environment for people walking, wheelchair rolling, biking, skateboarding, and rollerblading; and promote physical distancing of at least 6 feet by identifying low-speed neighborhood streets as “Shared Streets.”

The program is currently in Phase One with the possibility of adding more streets in the future if things go well at the current locations. The five streets of Phase One are:

• McClintock Rd from The Plaza to Morningside Dr
• Romany Rd (Bike Route 11) from Myrtle Ave to Kenilworth Ave
• Jameston Dr/Irby Dr/Westfield Rd from Freedom Park to Brandywine Rd

So, if you need us… we’ll be dancing in the street! And remember, this isn’t a pass to congregate with friends and family, you should still practice social distancing.

This Queen City exploration is powered by OrthoCarolina.