Reader responds to , ” overpriced Commuter parking is a Ridgewood quality of life Issue ” https://theridgewoodblog.net/reader-says-overpriced-commuter-parking-is-a-ridgewood-quality-of-life-issue/
“Amazing that this blog actually is from a year . . . and another $300 hike in the yearly fee ago . . . and nothing has changed. Actually, there HAVE been changes, but they have all been to the detriment of commuters. The new passes are $1300 per year. Want a pass for the Hudson Street lot? That will get you a parking spot until the construction begins, and the pleasure of depending on Uber to get to the station to catch your morning ride to work after construction starts. Oh, and forget about parking anywhere on the weekend, because, of course, who works on Saturday or Sunday?
Want a pass for other lots? Well, don’t count on parking in the train station unless you have a compact car. The planned renovations add spots, but they are only for compact vehicles. Because, after all, almost everyone in Ridgewood drives a compact. Unable to find a spot at the station, maybe because you aren’t there before 6:30 in the morning? Enjoy a healthy hike from across town. Hopefully, the snow and rain won’t be a problem this winter.
This is just PATHETIC. This is a real problem for anyone trying to sell their home – NO ONE in their right mind would consider moving here who works in NYC. I know we certainly would not have moved here, even without knowing the truth about the fraud underlying the reputation enjoyed by Ridgewood’s school system. The only thing worse than the stress of uncertainty about finding a parking spot is the sanctimonious disingenuousness of residents and council members who insist that protecting the access of “diners and shoppers” to parking is key to Ridgewood’s welfare.”
Unless you work in Hoboken, the Exchange Place area of Jersey City, or lower Manhattan (near World Trade), the commute to NYC from Ridgewood is horrendous, time consuming, and undependable. Northern NJ communities served by NJ Transit’s Midtown Direct Service are becoming increasing more appealing to home buyers, as evidenced by the skyrocketing prices of homes and bidding wars taking place in Montclair, Glen Ridge, Chatham, Millburn, Summit, etc.
Ha!
Pretty obvious that the author whom bought his home in Ridgewood about 3 years ago has finally realized he’s been duped and has to not only sell his house at a loss but, God forbid, part ways with his 42 ton Suburban because he can’t find a parking space when he drops anchor. Tisk tisk.
How you could not figure out the “underlying fraud” at the BOE let alone VH B4 you signed is beyond me.
Caveat Emptor
I was born and raised in Ridgewood, only leaving about 20 years ago. From reading this blog, I can see the Village has gone further down hill – but I was there when it “jumped the shark.” Happened in the early 1990s when the Village relocated its Fire House to Glen Avenue. That was the first event where the local know-it-alls came out to fight against a major municipal project. But that event was a catalyst for all of the idiots in town to start speaking against town government. Up until then, the blue bloods in town always ran everything without complaint or any opposition. Even during economic ups and downs, when the downtown was just a empty ghost town, the elites ran everything – and that’s just the way it was – and we never complained. And then the firehouse project came along, and that lead to a few objector-types were elected to council, and that was the beginning of the end.
If you only moved to Ridgewood within the past 30 years, you will never appreciate how great the town once was. It is nothing like it used to be.
Although these days I rarely return to the Village – even though I live only about 30 miles away – it isn’t all that I remember it. The downtown is the best it has ever been – that is the one feature that has improved over the good old days.
People may not realize that having restaurants downtown is a very recent phenomenon. The blue bloods for the longest time refused to permit that use in the down town. We only had Wilsey Pub, Brass Rail and Espositos – and maybe that diner too across from the Warner (Lenny Pizza was there for a while too, but that doesn’t really count as a restaurant). When Blimpies moved in during the late 1970s, it was like a bomb went off – people were shocked – SHOCKED – that such a trashy sub joint somehow breached the walls and made it in.
The firehouse was just a warm up for the s*it show that Ridgewood went through with the hospital master plan denial. Imagine that – the town refused to allow the hospital to expand. Big mistake newbies. Because when Valley Hospital eventually relocates to Paramus in a few years, and thousands upon thousands of condo units fill the void, all of the idiots that opposed the Valley expansion can look themselves in the mirror and blame themselves for hammering in the final nail.
Good riddance villagers – so glad I’m gone.
Thank you Abu Leo:
I have only been here for a few years and I can only imagine the kind of paradise RW must have been a couple of decades ago. I totally agree regarding Valley. I was one of the idiots who was strongly opposed to Valley expansion but now realize how stupid that was. It makes me feel miserable. If only somebody mentioned back then that the alternative to Valley was affordable housing I would totally change my opinion. Too late now.
My theory is that politicians of both sides have decided to turn all the nice NJ suburbs into NY boroughs as Queens and Brooklyn are filled up and becoming trashier by the day. In just a few short years RW can be at a population of about 40000. Those who come from NY rue “the lack of diversity”, start cutting trees because of too much leaves in the fall and want to turn this place into the hole they came from. It doesn’t help that whoever gets elected turns out to be either an idiot or a crook. Then you have a realtor being the mayor in one of the most critical moments of RW history. Writing is on the wall.
I wish I could move. Question is “go where?”.
ANON 12 28 .Many head south to North Carolina after the kids are either in college or finished school.Nj and local nanny taxes..take Parking in Ridgewood as a commuter
a complete rip off with no shuttle buses of any consequence running loops like valley
does from their parking campus near fairway building to and from the Ridgewood valley hospital.Town wastes so much money and taxes the shoes off of our feet.
NJT buses early in the morning are not running well to get you up from route 17 side of town or the edges of midland park side to avoid a taxi or uber just to get to the train.
here’s an issues where the town could help solve parking shortage during the transformation of the business district into englewood.POLS wear all of this crap meantime the restauranteurs are asleep in their beds while the smucks walk a mile to make a train.NJT BUSES TO port authority are maxed out and third world conditions .
Yes people will move out..makes the realtor ruling classes very fulfilled with our money . Local governments should serve the people not the merchants first..a platform that was reversed once the realtors and VC got comfortable running with the prior administrations play book..tax spend and take care of the political supporters rather than the commuters…parking rates are a complete rip off.
The raw Truth of how we arrived at this unsatisfactory state. Mismanagement. microcosm ..installation of kiosks in bushes while surface pavement conditions in a hazardous condition for last 7 years .