By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — The West Windsor Parking Authority has a major seat at the redevelopment table as one of the more important entities involved in the process of determining the future of the Princeton Junction train station area.
Its importance stems from both independent control over properties in West Windsor’s 350-acre redevelopment area and its ability to effectively and, more important, financially contribute to the effort to provide all-important parking at the station, especially for West Windsor residents.
The authority has begun its own planning work in recent months, independent of the township process, and its members this week said it is making tangible progress as it works toward its perpetual goal of providing cheap and convenient parking spots for township residents, and others.
In fact, authority members say, they have a variety of activities currently under way.
The parking authority is assessing its 5,000-person waiting list while looking for a contractor to conduct a traffic study of the train station parking area.
The authority has also continued to consider both specific locations and new parking systems that could be used in relieving a parking crunch that has some commuters facing a seven- or eight-year wait time for a parking place.
This movement of plans and thoughts and considerations may fit into, and even help the township’s redevelopment efforts, but the two goals are not necessarily the same, according to Chairman Andy Lupo.
”I think that realistically, as a parking authority, our main concern is for our clientele,” Mr. Lupo said.
And that might not necessarily be a bad thing, according to parking authority officials like Mr. Lupo, who said his group is cognizant of the problems of the redevelopment process, which have been both controversial and slow in developing.
He noted specific problems which may lead to more delay, such as the withdrawal of state money for the Vaughn Drive Connector, and the specter of increased Council on Affordable Housing obligations bogging down the township’s redevelopment efforts.
Almost any large-scale township construction would require affordable housing construction, and parking authority officials feel they can move forward with more parking facilities without fear of the additional time or cost of housing.
”Our counsel has advised us that if we build a parking structure, we’re outside of the affordable housing guidelines,” Mr. Lupo said.
Any significant redevelopment will also require the Vaughn Drive connector road, which would link the present Vaughn Drive with Washington Road.
That throughway would likely alleviate the current redevelopment area’s congestion, which will likely grow in the future with the various development scenarios that could come with a comprehensive redevelopment plan.
But the state money needed for the connector road was withdrawn recently, with both state and township officials citing a delay in the planning of the redevelopment area.
There are also planning issues in which the parking authority differs with the township.
Mr. Lupo cited the much-discussed location of parking garages that would be a major tool in addressing the station’s estimated shortfall of around 2,000 to 3,000 parking places as an example of where the township and the parking authority have a divergence of opinion.
In some township discussions, parking decks have been considered for places along Vaughn Drive, or on the compost site off Alexander Road, which are many walking-minutes away from the station’s all-important New York-bound platform.
Those sites might make sense from a land-use perspective, but from the Parking Authority’s perspective and stated goal, they don’t make much sense because of their distance from the station platforms.
”We’re open to gravel, blacktop, or a structure, but some locations that might appear to be the ideal spot from a township perspective maybe a little different from our perspective,” Mr. Lupo said.
There is also the issue of satellite parking, which seemed to enjoy a broad base of support from both residents and township officials at parking meetings, but failed to elicit the same strong support from parking officials.
Parking authority officials said they supported satellite parking, but in a limited number, likely near Route 1. They did say satellite lots could be used for out-of-towners, freeing up spots for West Windsor residents.
Mr. Lupo said the possibility of missing connections and damaging the all-important commute time caused some of the concern over using satellite lots.
”As a commuter, if I miss my connection, I could be starting my day off on the wrong foot, or ending my day on the wrong foot,” Mr. Lupo said.
Township officials seem to understand the sentiments of people like Mr. Lupo, who both deals with the station’s situation as a commuter, and as the chairman of the parking authority.
Township Council President Will Anklowitz, in an interview, applauded the work the parking authority.
He said the work currently being undertaken will be beneficial to the township’s planning efforts. He pointed out the council passed a resolution calling for the parking authority to perform the work, giving it an official endorsement from the council.
”They’re contributing time and money and effort,” said Mr. Anklowitz. “I can’t ask for anything more.”
Councilman Charles Morgan said that he believed that no matter what plan the authority came up with, it would meld with the township’s goals for the redevelopment area.
”I think they are highly sensitive to what the township wants,” said Mr. Morgan of the authority. “If I were to speculate, they will come forward with what they want, but they won’t move forward without looking at the township’s needs.”
Mr. Morgan also pointed out the township’s superior bond rating, which could be used if the township and the parking authority moved forward jointly in financing improvements.
He also said they it was still fuzzy as to whether the parking authority could issue its own bonds.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said he understood the difference of goals and opinions on certain parking-related issues, between the township and the authority.
”This is the reason we need to have good coordination, to make sure this comes together correctly,” Mayor Hsueh said.
He said additional parking was needed, but also good land-use planning and traffic planning.
”We need to all sit down together and figure this out,” Mayor Hsueh said.
