First, the TC voted, 5-0, to expand parking on Baker Street and Inwood and Highland places from one hour to two hours.
"Whether in person or by email, I have heard from nearly all of the merchants that are in this area and all have been enthusiastic supporters," said TC Member Greg Lembrich. "I actually haven't heard any dissent."
TC member Nancy Adams added that Maplewood Village Alliance is also in support.
But one opposing voice was considered, that of veteran Village merchant and activist John Harvey, who penned a letter denouncing the move. The letter criticized the late notice to merchants prior to the vote, adding, "You have not shared any substantive reason to believe this increase in parking limits will improve, and not actually exacerbate a problem."
In other actions, Adams announced that the Township engineer would study traffic and accident patterns at the corner of Baker and Valley streets to see if the Township should remove the No Right on Red limitation for vehicles turning from Baker on to Valley.
"When I was running I had a lot of requests to put in the allowance of right on red turn at the corner of Baker and Valley streets," Adams said. "You used to be able to turn right on red. There's been a lot of traffic back-ups and frustration by long-time residents who are used to being able to turn right on red."
She said the initial change would be to allow such turns between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
The Township instituted the No Right On Red ban in 2009.
To clarify my concern on this decision and many others made by the TC. I have no idea whether increasing the parking limits, decreasing the parking limits, or leaving them the same will have a positive or negative affect on parking in the Village. The issue is that neither does the Township Committee. There is no basis, other than opinion, for these changes to be made.
ReplyDeleteMy bigger concern is the decision-making process used by the Township Committee.
As a resident in the Village, on Inwood Place, I hear and see the impact of inadequate parking every day and night. I have made two suggestions consistently for several years, that I stand by:
1) when making decisions like this the TC should identify and share why they believe this change will improve the situation. And, assess the impact. A simple survey to ask businesses and residents if the increase in parking along Maplewood Avenue has created a better or worse parking situation. This would have at least provided some basis for making the more recent decision, or not.
2) The parking issue was first realized in 1948 when the first Maplewood Parking Study was completed. Over 65 years later, the problem persists, and will be exacerbated by the new PO development. Leaders deal with dilemmas, the big problems, rather than taking small steps that might or might not improve the situation.
Leadership would mean dealing with the big issue, with a big solution instead of throwing darts in the dark.
Have a great day - John