Resurfacing project could cost Main Street 36 parking places.
By: John Patten
The resurfacing of Manville’s Main Street could result in the elimination of 36 parking spaces, if an effort by the Borough Council and Manville Business and Professional Association can’t block it.
Borough officials learned this week of the elimination of the parking spaces by the county to make the repaved street, a county road, comply with state rules. When the road work is completed, and parking spots remarked, all spots opposite streets such as the Main Street parking across from South or Rosalie streets, or Gladys Avenue will be eliminated.
Chief of Police Mark Peltack told council members Monday that state regulations consider those areas as "part of the intersection," and for safety reasons, will not allow parking. Parking had been allowed before the resurfacing because the spots were in place when the regulation was written; improvements to the road mean it must be brought into compliance with the current law.
"I think someone went through and wherever there was a ‘T- stop,’ they eliminated the parking space," Councilman Ken Otrimski said.
But the potential loss of nearly one quarter of Main Street’s on-street parking could be detrimental to businesses and in a letter to the Borough Council dated Sunday, the MBPA asked the council to oppose the change, invoking "home rule" to override what the group says is the county’s "recommendation."
"As we know, one size does not fit all and as such, all towns are empowered with home rule in respect to parking," the letter notes. "Although the county can recommend, the borough can ultimately decide on what is best for its community. Small towns like Manville can never fully comply with state regulations; the towns were not designed as such decades ago."
The association challenges the council to "show the courage to do what is right."
The council members agreed to check with state officials and the county traffic officer to see what options the borough might have to protect the parking spaces.
"Whatever we can do for the businesses, we need to do," Mayor Angelo Corradino said at the meeting.

