March 4,2017
Photos and commentary by Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, In what has seemingly become an all too common occurrence, an illegally parked vehicle that was blocking a driveway entrance on North Walnut Street, leading to a private parking lot behind 119-133 East Ridgewood Avenue, was towed from the scene under police guard after having been issued multiple parking violation summonses. Individuals waiting to enter/leave the parking lot were inconvenienced, the vehicle’s owner must now deal with the expense and inconvenience of recovering his/her vehicle (and paying the associated parking fines), and a police officer was tied up during the vehicle impound process.
This and similar incidents that have occurred on Cottage Place, Oak Street, and Chestnut Street, may have all been prevented. However, for some unknown/inexpiable reason, Ridgewood Village Engineer Christoper Rutishauser has steadfastly refused to have yellow hash marked “parking control” boxes painted on the pavement in front of private driveway entrances such as the one on North Walnut Street. Nearby Ho-Ho-Kus has several of these simple and inexpensive “parking control” schemes in use within their business district along Sheridan Avenue (see attached photos).
Just what is Mr. Rutishauser’s objection to such an idea? Is it no good only because he didn’t think of it?
