Park Where? Competing for Space

COURT HOUSE – Middle Township Committee used its work session Sept. 17 to solicit input from residents who live in the neighborhoods bordering the county Superior Court building. 
A $1.3-million grant proposal submitted to the state in August outlined plans for:
* One-way traffic west on Mechanic Street
* One-way east on Hand Avenue
* Angled parking on Mechanic Street
* New space for community activities
* Expanded sidewalks
The reason for seeking more advice from nearby residents is another set of changes which could begin to take place as early as Oct. 1.
Elizabeth Bozzelli, clerk of the board of freeholders, explained that security concerns are leading to changes at the Superior Court Building.
The building will be moving to a single point of entry, eliminating entry from Main Street and moving all individuals seeking to enter the building to the rear (west) entrance off the gated county parking lot.
To accomplish necessary changes in that area, and to free up space for individuals going to the court through that entrance, the employees in the building, mostly judiciary employees, would be encouraged to move out of the gated lot where they currently park.
Those employees will be asked to use the county lot behind the properties on the east side of Main Street. Improvements to that lot are planned to ease concerns about security and to the crosswalk at Main Street to make it easier and safe to use.
Middle Township Business Administrator Elizabeth Terenik expressed concern that moving county employees out of the gated lot could push more cars into the surrounding neighborhoods rather than the more distant county lot.
Addressing the residents, Terenik said, “We want to hear from you about what you would like to see us do now,” referring to the potential impact of the changes at the court building.
Suggestions included limiting parking to three hours Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or limiting parking to cars with resident parking stickers. 
“If we take these options, we want to make sure it is what you want,” Terenik said.
Bozzelli admitted that once employees are asked to leave the gated lot, the county cannot force them to use the county lot on the east side of Main Street. Some will spill over into already congested neighborhoods.
Concerns for the changes coming at the court complex mingled with long-standing concerns for speeding on the narrow streets in the area and calls for four-way stops at intersections where parked cars interfere with line of site of oncoming traffic.
Several residents raised a call for a four-way stop at the intersection of Mechanic and Boyd. County Engineer Robert Church explained that a study would be needed to learn if such traffic control at that intersection met the criteria for a four-way stop.
Committeeman Timothy Donohue urged caution when dealing with issues that could have a significant impact on the area.
“We are talking about an area that has been a developed business district for a hundred years, and we are talking about making some radical changes to traffic flow,” he said.
Donohue added that the committee needed to take the time to understand the potential impact of any actions.
“We are changing traffic patterns in order to theoretically bring more business into the area at the same time that we may be restricting parking more,” Donohue added.
Bozzelli said that the county would not be forcing employees out of the gated lot initially. “We will encourage them to leave,” she said.
When asked what the county might do if enough employees don’t make the adjustment voluntarily, she added: “Then we will have to take away access to the gated lot.”
The only thing that appears certain is that parking is likely to get more difficult soon in an area where it is already a major problem.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.