A number of options under consideration as waiting list grows longer.
By: Gwen McNamara
WEST WINDSOR With the waiting lists for parking at the Princeton Junction train station growing longer every day, the West Windsor Parking Authority is considering a number of options to deal with the parking crunch.
From building parking decks to purchasing land, the Parking Authority outlined the possibilities before the Township Council on Monday.
According to William Mitchell, chairman of the Parking Authority, the authority manages five parking facilities at the train station three lots for NJ Transit along Alexander Road and two lots for West Windsor, one on Vaughn Drive and the other on Wallace Road.
The waiting list for parking in these lots stretches to seven years in some cases, Mr. Mitchell said.
"The Vaughn Drive lot has 331 spaces and a waiting list of one and a half years for 388 customers," he said. "The Wallace lot has 600 spaces and a waiting list of five to seven years for 1,600 customers, while NJ Transit’s lots have 2,800 spaces with a waiting list at three and a half years for about 2,800 customers."
The last time the Parking Authority made an attempt to address the parking situation was in 1997, when it built the Vaughn Drive lot.
"The situation has not gotten any better," Mr. Mitchell said. "So right now we’re considering a number of options."
Those options include:
Expanding the Wallace Road lot.
Purchasing land near the train station on the southwest side of the Alexander Road bridge.
Buying and developing a parking facility behind the Ellsworth’s Shopping Center.
Partnering with a nearby business that is willing to build a parking deck.
"The most important thing for us to do now is meet with all the parties that might be involved," Mr. Mitchell said. "The statistics show we need parking badly, especially for West Windsor residents."
The Township Council agreed that there is a dire need for parking at the train station, particularly for West Windsor residents, but suggested the Parking Authority look for more creative solutions.
"We need to find a way to alleviate the congestion at the train station," said Kristin Appelget, council president. "I’m not so sure building more lots or decks at the station will do anything to fix the problem. That would just be dealing with what we’ve already got."
She suggested the Parking Authority open a line of communication with Princeton University to see about setting up a stop on the Dinky line between West Windsor and Princeton, so that people could park and catch the Dinky on the western side of Route 1.
"That might help alleviate some of the traffic coming into the train station," she said.
Councilwoman Alison Miller pointed out other satellite parking locations could help cut back on the many "kiss and ride" commuters being dropped off at the station by loved ones since parking is not available.
Parking Authority member John Boyle noted that the authority had tried satellite parking and shuttle services in the past with minimal success, but it could be worth looking into again.
Ms. Miller also suggested the Parking Authority work closely with NJ Transit, so that if that agency would agree to put up the funds to build a parking deck, a portion of the new spaces could be allocated strictly for West Windsor residents.
Right now the Parking Authority is only considering the construction of a parking deck on the western side of the train station, Parking Authority member Andy Lupo stressed.
"We understand that putting a deck on the eastern side could impact a number of residents," he said. "And remember we’re still in the preliminary stages here. No plans have been drawn up. There’s still a lot to consider."
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said that upcoming decisions on the Penns Neck Bypass could play an important role in how the parking situation at the train station is addressed.
"We need to start thinking more about the long-term plans," he said. "The Penns Neck Bypass, a potential Vaughn Drive connector road, work on the Alexander Road bridge, these all must be considered. We need to start putting it all together."
The Parking Authority is expected to continue to brainstorm on the parking problem and agreed to come back to the Township Council before any final decisions are made.