Valet parking , Trolley cars and other solutions in search of a problem.
written by readers, edited by staff and smiled upon by the gods
Welcome to Mister Rogers neighborhood? i liked that trolley…especially the part about how it transported us to the land of make believe .
Readers mentioned a Trolly car system , Valet Parking , a parking garage and even the use of County Police new Light Armored Vehicles as commuter buses .
All the time keeping in mind “The public good” is not feeling as if you’re in a big city when you go downtown. Not seeing guys in polo shirts with logos on them running back from parking (and probably getting hit by cars on Franklin Ave.). Not having those guys, who will probably not be from here and unfamiliar with the territory, driving like maniacs up and down that street. Not having to TIP someone after having a pizza or burger. Personally, I will stay away more than be lured by this.
But Please folks. May I have your attention please?Attention please! I can deal with this trouble, friends, with a wave of my hand, this very hand! Please observe me if you will. I’m Professor Harold Hill, and I’m here to organize the Ridgewood Trolley Plan!
I like the trolley idea., hummm we do to ,It would be an attraction and help with the parking situation….ugh yes that right a solution in search of a problem .
Ridgewood’s Central Business District – Open Discussion July 23, 2014
July 23, 2014 – 7:30 p.m. – Court Room of Village Hall – Join Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli for an open discussion about Ridgewood’s Central Business District. Please be prepared to offer your comments, suggestions, concerns, and ideas for improvement for the Central Business District at this meeting. All are welcome to attend.
What about a rickshaw or is that not PC.
sorry staff over sight left it out
I actually don’t know why people say there’s a parking problem in Ridgewood. In the 28 years I have lived in the village, I have never once been unable to find a parking space. Morning, afternoon or evening…there is always something available if you look. It’s not always right in front of the store or restaurant I want to go to, but never more than a block away.
Having lived in the village most of my life i do not see where parking is a problem except for those that are too lazy to walk a couple of blocks.
I disagree that parking is not a problem. There are 2 issues really:
1) Public perception–Restaurants and businesses are hurt by the perception that there is not enough parking. It is not that people do not find a spot, it is the unknown and the frustration of driving around looking for one. People do take business elsewhere simply because it can take 5-10 minutes to find a spot in Ridgewood. For instance, if I need to run to a drug store around 8pm on a Saturday, I do not try to find parking at Rite Aide I head to CVS in Fair Lawn or GR.
2) At about 8pm on Saturday night it is hard to find parking, even far away. There is no “bail out” lot where you can reliably find a spot and just walk a bit further. The lots on Broad and on Chestnut are usually full at that time as are the spots around VanNess. In those instances, it can be very frustrating to find a spot.
The proposed solutions help relieve the “frustration” factor because there would be a “bail out.” You look for a spot, can’t find one and then can valet or whatever. That change in perception could make all the difference for many people.
I have lived in the Village for over 30 years. Parking has never deterred me from coming downtown. Usually, however, I have to walk 3-5 blocks. This doesnt bother me except in nasty weather. I don’t oppose a trolley (at least till I see the cost), but I can say I would never use it. Ditto for the valet. Walking a few blocks doenst amount to a crisis. If you have dined or shopped in Montclair or just about any other developed downtown, the issue is much the same. There may even be a beneifit to the CBD in having people stroll for a few blocks rather than having door to door service.
I have lived in town my entire life, parking has always been somewhat inconvenient, only more so now than ever. I agree other towns have the same problems. In Greenwich CT it is similarly difficult however, they do have some better parking options off the main drag than Ridgewood does. I think this is also true of a few other similar towns. On the whole I would support some kind of additional parking plan if it paid for itself over time through parking fees. I would lean towards helping the local business people. I want to see the stores full and thriving not empty.
Well Bill if we got ride of the malls and internet ordering then we may see the stores full. I guess we could have a few more pizza places and restaurants in town.
A trolley ! Really. Who is going to pay for that ? The Chamber ? The Developers? The Tax Payers ? So your going to tell me that people are going to wait on the corner for the trolley to pick them up and bring then to their favorite eatery and wait for the trolley to bring them back . You could walk faster then the trolley can get through traffic. Oh thats right there will be no traffic because the trolley will eliminate it.