Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, introduced an ordinance Thursday to phase out valet parking services at Chicago taverns on the grounds that the city shouldn’t be making it easy for people to drive to bars to drink, then get back behind the wheel.
“Given Illinois’ DUI laws, I do not understand why the City would encourage people to drive to and from taverns and nightclubs that don’t offer food. The only product being consumed there is alcohol and, usually, lots of it,” said Reilly, whose ward includes the River North entertainment district where bars are plentiful and parking is scarce.
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Cars are parked in the service lane valet parking area along West Randolph Street in West Town on April 26, 2018, in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)
Reilly said two years ago, two people died in a crash on the Ontario feeder ramp after the “heavily inebriated” driver was handed car keys by a valet operator outside a River North club and allowed to drive away.
His proposal would not impact valet parking zones outside restaurants, Reilly said.
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“There is no reasonable explanation for issuing valet permits to serve taverns and nightclubs that have built a business model around bottle service and rounds of shots,” he said.
jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_johnbyrne
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