By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger
A representative of Desman Associates, parking experts from New York City, told a meeting of A. Park citizens that the good news is that they have a parking problem, and the bad news is that they have a parking problem. This refers to Asbury’s success in attracting new businesses such as the Festhalle and Biergarten which seats 269 in the beer hall and 450 on their rooftop deck.
Asbury Park has metered parking, parking garages and lots around town. They also issued about 1200 parking permits to residents and businesses last year. Those permits made residents happy, especially since they only cost $30.00 per year, and so many were sold that there were more permits than available permit spaces.
The consultants were assessing a variety of parking related issues such as the shortage of spaces for people who want to go to restaurants, beaches, boardwalk, and businesses, especially in season and on weekends.
One of their solutions was to raise the price of a permit to $1,200.00 per year. Yikes! Since each meter earns $135.00 per month, the City needs to discourage permits and raise permit prices to improve the financial math and make more public spaces available. The City has not finalized its response to the study.
But at least Asbury Park is responding to the concerns of their citizens, and their public officials are willing to spend money on research and then to wrestle with the problem.
We all know about OG’s parking problems, but you can imagine the parking situation if that colossal mistake called the NERP is actually implemented. One thing is sure, there will be no construction, not even a shovel in the ground, until at least all the construction, engineering and environmental permits are obtained.
Hopefully our parking situation will be assessed by a comprehensive parking study done in advance of the NERP start by outside experts who know State law and who will consider the OG Master Plan and the wishes of the town’s residents. After all we don’t want to be sorry too late.
KAREN ELLISON with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks from Boardwalk Empire: “Who’s Sorry Now?”
Doug
Every town from Asbury down to Manasquan has painted lines for cars, so they must be happy with that arrangement. Painting them isn’t bending any rule or statute. Municipalities have the authority to do so and the federal DOT’s Manual for Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) which is the basis for all State motor vehicle traffic control device Statutes, states: “Marking of parking space boundaries encourages more orderly and efficient use of parking spaces where parking turnover is substantial.”
The MUTCD’s standard car dimension is 8′ by 20′. And while MINI’s and smaller cars are the minority, there can be designated, marked spaces for smaller cars (7′ by 18′), or for larger vehicles (8′ up to 26′). You wouldn’t lose spots at corners – the yellow zones would still be there. I didn’t say it was a perfect plan – just a way to get 10% more spots.
This link gives some of the MUTCD’s language and drawings
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2003r1r2/part3/fig3b-18_longdesc.htm
Old Timer,
Not sure if #1 will do much, your lined parking spots would have to as big as the biggest car, leaving a lot of unused space when a MINI or Fiat 500 is parked in it. Up in the Mountains, we manage to park pretty tight!
I think you may lose spots at the corners also, I assume the painted spots would have to follow state law, which does NOT allow parking within 25 ft of a cross walk and 50 ft of a stop sign. Both these rules are kind of allowed to be bent in OG, but I don’t think they can be bent far enough to allow painting official lines on the streets.
OG can improve (not necessarily, solve) its parking problems by about 15% with 2 simple, low cost, items.
First, on those roads that have parallel parking, paint lines on the pavement within which cars have to park. This is done in virtually every beach town in Monmouth and Ocean counties. This will do away with the ever popular “1 car taking up 2 parking spots” game. This would easily add 10% more parking and would probably cost less than $3000.
Second, require owners of houses on the first 2 beach blocks, that have driveways, to park at least 1 car in their driveway before parking on the street. This would cost nothing and (based upon my unofficial survey of Abbott, Webb, Embury, Heck, Olin and Pitman) would add about 5% more parking spots.
So simple, but no movement at all by Neptune to implement.
If they ever build that underground parking garage at the North End, it will be done to satisfy State parking regulations for the 165 new residential units (hotel and condos). It probably would be earmarked for those people. It’s unknown if it would be open to the public.
There is so little known about that feature in the NERP or, in fact, about any of the NERP components, because that 2008 NERP which the Township Committee wrote into law is nothing more than a concept. No detailed plans have ever been seen.
Come one come all to the new parking facility in the Ocean Park Parking Facilty (OPPF) at the North End of the Grove. For the meager sum and protection from the elements of only $15 a day. I like a seasonal pass on that one!