| Author | Message | ||
     fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 22 Registered: 1-2003 |
Mrosner: That was too bad that NJ Transit backed down from their original proposal due to threats of a suit. Now that NJ Transit has budget problems, a parking deck will not likely happen. I have several commuters from Livingston that would entertain the idea of a Jitney. Do you know why it has not been tried? I would think a Jitney from the Livingston Mall to the train station would be ideal and would not only attract Livingston residents but also Florham Park and E. Hanover commuters who presently also park in South Orange. Just think how this would solve a signficant crunch of parking spaces in SO. I doubt a bus service will work from these towns. It would be too slow and not profitable to NJ Transit. A jitney from one central location to the train station would work. There are plenty of parking spaces at Livingston Mall that are never used that could accomdate commuters who then board a Jitney. How much is the WO Jitney? SO Jitney? | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 246 Registered: 7-2003 |
Sorry I’m a little confused. I thought there was a bus that ran from SO to Livingston and I’d guess there is one back. So is the difference that a Jitney would be express and a bus would make stops? Wouldn’t you still have to wait for the jitney? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 650 Registered: 4-2002 |
There is a bus from the Mall that runs through the village. I do not know how often but I see it on S. Orange ave all the time. S. Orange charges $150.00 / yr for the jitney or a ten trip for $10.00 (I think that is the charge). I have no idea what W. Orange charges. I think we should put up a toll just west of Glenview road to pay for a deck. Of course there would be no charge for S. Orange residents. (Fred, just kidding ). | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 651 Registered: 4-2002 |
Brett: A jitney usually coordinates their schedule with the train schedule to minimize waiting. Also, a jitney tends to run closer to schedule than a bus because the route is significantly shorter. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 248 Registered: 7-2003 |
Jitney: sounds like it's more fun to ride too, like a Carnival ride. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 23 Registered: 1-2003 |
Mrosner: The Jitney cost sounds reasonable. I heard from some commuters today that some residents near the train station are offering their driveways as a parking spot for a fee. Sounds like an option; however, I would caution some residents that their homeowners insurance may not cover any claim submitted by such commuters. Is there a nearby church lot that is not used during the week that might be an option for commuters and a revenue boast to the church? I like the idea of a tool on S. Orange but it should go both ways. Maybe we can access how many SO residents are leaving the town to do their shoping elsewhere. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 249 Registered: 7-2003 |
I would like to offer my spot to any interested parties, unfortunately I would charge $6 a day, and I don’t want to open that can of worms after seeing what happend when $5 was attacked. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 652 Registered: 4-2002 |
Maybe we should put the parking spots on E-Bay. | ||
| Guesswho Citizen Username: Guesswho Post Number: 13 Registered: 9-2003 |
Fred, kwitcherbeefin' Go somewhere else to park iof you don't like what we have to offer. There are plenty of others. I am sooo sick of reading your complaints day after day until, finally today, you actually raised a semi-serious solution. but why o why have the busses from the Livingston Mall go to South Orange.. Better to go to stops further east, that way the riders can get home earlier (hey, hey..also get on later when there are less seats!) If you want to use a commuter station, live in town and put up with all the resident hassles, otherwise go to West Orange on Northfield and TAKE THE BUS!!!Plenty of free parking. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 24 Registered: 1-2003 |
Mrosner: E-bay sounds great since everything is the subject of an auction. Guesswho: Your point about busses stopping at SO is quite disturbing and should not be the subject of this forum because we all know what you are implying. A bus is not an option when working downtown. Living in town is also not an option given the high real estate taxes, which again should not be a subject of this thread. Maybe I will suggest commuters to park in front of your house and take the Jitney (just kidding!). | ||
| Guesswho Citizen Username: Guesswho Post Number: 14 Registered: 9-2003 |
All I was implying is I want people who do NOT pay our "high real estate taxes" to at least not have the pleasureof taking a seat from a South Oranger. I didn't suggest Maplewood, Milburn or Summitt for that reason only, and I resent any other implication. Besides, parking in front of my house, you wouldn't need the jitney (j/k). | ||
| Lizziecat Citizen Username: Lizziecat Post Number: 48 Registered: 5-2003 |
Commuter parking in South Orange should be for South Orange residents who pay South Orange taxes. Commuters should not be allowed to park at the South Orange Middle school ever. Neither I nor my husband is a commuter, but that is what seems fair to me. | ||
| kevin Citizen Username: Kevin Post Number: 97 Registered: 2-2002 |
Fred: If you want to get technical about the parking signs, you stated: The signs you are speaking about exist near the bank and restaurant and liquor store. There are no signs further away from these establishments. The lot (I am assuming) was part of Shop Rite. When they closed, Shop Rite elected not to enforce whatever restrictions on parking it may have had at that time. The signs say, "No Commuter Parking - 2hr parking only will be allowed in the Shoprite parking lot" Please check them out the next time you visit the lot. Guesswho: Thank you. I also chose to pay my "high real estate taxes" to South Orange because of the train station in town. My taxes (and parking permit fees) help to maintain the area around the station as well as public services that benefit others who contribute nothing but congestion. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 25 Registered: 1-2003 |
Guesswho: The trains are not for SO residents. Non-SO commuters are entitled to a seat just like anyone else. If SO wishes to establish additional parking for SO residents, that is fine. Kevin: Those signs you speak about were placed by Shop Rite when it was opened. It closed several years ago and therefore its purpose (to provide parking for Shop Rite customers) has become moot. That is why SO is now charging parking in the lot. SO should have done this many years ago. You beef should be with SO and not with the commuters. Your high real estate taxes are mostly going to the schools and the county. The % going to the train station is quite low and based on the number of vacant stores downtown, I would not be happy that taxes are going to maintain the area. If point about others not contributing anything but congestion is completely without merit. Commuters are paying parking fees daily to park in town, commuters shop the local stores around town. The congestion you speak about is probably due to drivers using SO Ave. to get from place to place. Just remember, be careful what you wish for! | ||
| paddy Citizen Username: Paddy Post Number: 134 Registered: 5-2001 |
I live in South Orange and I also pay very high taxes. But I think the idea of limiting the station to SO residents is a tad-bit excessive. South Orange may have made significant improvments to the parking situation in the past decade. Those who are content with the situation seem to either not commute to NYC, or have been here long enough to have a resident permit. The improvement I suggest is to somehow give priority to residents. Right now, I'm treated just like any other out-of-town resident until I get the resident permit (another four years). If someone from out of town beats me to the meters in the morning, it's my tough luck even though I pay taxes to maintain that property. There's nothing we can do about the NJ transit lot; but maybe we can look to the other metered/permit parking. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 26 Registered: 1-2003 |
Paddy: I agree with you that SO should provide additional parking to its residents. I noticed that there are quite a bit of 2 hour parking spaces around town. Maybe SO could designate some of these spots for SO residents and also increase the number of 12 hour meter spaces by placing some of them on some additional streets. What is the status of the Fire Station work? There used to be meter spots in front of the station but they were removed during the asbestos work to allow parking for the firemen. Once the work is completed, will SO place the meters back where they were? | ||
| Guesswho Citizen Username: Guesswho Post Number: 15 Registered: 9-2003 |
Exactly Paddy, we want to give South Orange residents priority. But I find it offensive that commuters from other communities,that they have chosen to live in even tho they know there is so train available, insist that South Orange and its residents solve their commuter parking woes. We live here, we should have first priority, anything left over others are welcome to. | ||
| kevin Citizen Username: Kevin Post Number: 98 Registered: 2-2002 |
Fred: Did you patronize Shoprite when it was operational? Did you even live in your neighboring town when the Shoprite was operational? Who told you that the signs were placed there by Shoprite? The signs are actually carefully worded, they do not say, "parking for Shoprite customers only". Parking in that lot had gotten so bad last year that the bank had security to guard some of the spots in the lot from commuters abusing the parking. Who paid for the guard? Was it a local business who wanted a few spots for it's customers? Commuters in the parking lot tie up the spots during normal business hours. My taxes also help pay for public works, police, fire, etc. Regardless of what my taxes pay for, what do you contribue to South Orange? I don't have a beef with commuters - even out of town commuters - most of us have to work. I am a commuter myself. I have a beef with the ones who complain about having to pay for parking because the owner of a parking lot decided to charge a useage fee. Things change, deal with it. I'll bet that the local business that are located around the lot are happy that there are now spaces available for customers during business hours - at least until construction starts. I also didn't say that others who come to South Orange contribute nothing but congestion, you are trying to twist my words around. Non-residents who visit local shops contribute to the local economy. Non-residents who drive from their towns, park for free, get on the train in the morning, get off in the evening and drive out of South Orange are the ones who contribute nothing but congestion. There are many. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 253 Registered: 7-2003 |
Kevin; If commuters stop going to a particular station and rider ship drops NJT will close the station. If you ride the North East Corridor you’ll notice a lot of stations that the train doesn’t stop at. I don’t think that you would like them to close the Maplewood station and have all of those people come to SO or vice versa. Those commuters that you hate help to keep the stations open therefore attract people, sending property value up. If you increase parking, you also increase the amount of people that currently drive to other towns to catch the train and with that more people trying to find free parking. By living in a commuter town you have decided to live in a town that has these issues. And the more people that come here the more stores that will open in order to try and get some of those commuters to stop on their way home. Maybe it’s not happening today, but that’s how you reenergize a town. You really need to get off your high horse about the taxes. It’s not Fred’s fault you pay taxes. If you moved into this town with out checking out the services, taxes, parking, stores, etc. you’re the one with the issue. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 27 Registered: 1-2003 |
Kevin: I suppose we beg to differ regarding our interpretation of the parking signs. I believe that the implication that it says "Shop Rite Parking Lot" means they were intended for Shop Rite customers. Once the store closed, it was the owner's responsibility to either enforce or not enforce the restrictions. Apparently Shop Rite did not and then SO took over and did nothing. It is not the fault of commuters for this lack of enforcement. Ask your elected officials for a response. With regard to the bank, all it had to do was paint some lines for its customer parking spaces and then enforce the rules by having the cars who parked in those spots towed. They did not do this. Instead, they hired a security guard who did nothing but place cones on spots. Shop Rite liquors painted spots near its store and those spots were always open without any security guard. Keep in mind when and if the site is redeveloped, parking will again be a major headache for these businesses. Your anger regarding taxes is misdirected at me and the commuters. We all know that taxes have gone up in SO and elsewhere. They have not gone up because of commuters parking in the Shop Rite lot. They probably have gone up by a % due to a reduction in tax ratables based on the number of vacancy stores in town. Again, direct your comments to your town officials. It seems that it may be time for you to deal with the reality of living in SO that has a very popular train station. This station has increased the property values in town which in turn has increased your taxes. If you cannot deal with that, then maybe moving to another town with less taxes will make you happy. Brett: Thank you for your comments relating to this issue. |
