No place to park in Asbury Park
I knew it would eventually come to this. I knew that the days when I could always find a parking space on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park - free parking, no less - would eventually come to end when the beachfront started to revive. This summer, it has become increasingly difficult to find a convenient space. On Saturday, when the town was packed for the School of Rock Music Festival, it was next to impossible to find ANY space. After circling three times, my soon-to-be-4-year-old son, whose favorite beach town is Asbury Park, said, "Daddy let's go to Ocean Grove." And that's what we did. As it was late in the day, we had no trouble finding a spot on Ocean Avenue there.
Clearly, parking is a major challenge in Asbury Park - one that will become increasingly worse as redevelopment continues. Parking was not adequately addressed in the redevelopment plan. It will be a major issue when Madison Marquette and Asbury Partners go before the City Council with proposed amendments.
Clearly, parking is a major challenge in Asbury Park - one that will become increasingly worse as redevelopment continues. Parking was not adequately addressed in the redevelopment plan. It will be a major issue when Madison Marquette and Asbury Partners go before the City Council with proposed amendments.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 12:58 PM
4 Comments:
Why is it that when people are in New York the will walk 20 blocks to get to a restaurant or theater without blinking an eye, but those same people come to a Shore town and expect to park directly in front of their venue?
You could have parked 2 or 3 blocks down Sunset and walked back.
Since that strange change in people does take place when they come to the Shore, you are probably right - the need will have to be addressed.
20 blocks is an exaggeration. 7 or 8 tops, maybe. Senior citizens even less.
Of course New York has something called subways, which were designed and planned with reducing the length of one's walks in mind, particularly in Manhattan. There are no subways at the shore, nor should there be. But perhaps there should be a trolley/light rail line that can take people to the major hot spots so they don't have to worry about parking.
Anonymous, you forgot to mention what Asbury Park does have: some of the quickest and best cab drivers on the Jersey Shore.
I agree the last thing Asbury Park needs to do is start charging for parking.... They should just be glad to see people in town. Just because there are a few stores open on the boardwalk you start charging people to park. Don't get me wrong I Love Asbury Park I think it has great potential but let's allow the people who live there decide what they want. I've said it before the building bust could have been the exact thing Asbury Park needed before the redevelopment really got under way. I think the city should take the 56 acres back from MM (Madison Marquette) and look for an alternate plan. Bruce Springsteen's song "Atlantic City" he mentions "Everything dies baby that's a fact,
But maybe everything that dies someday come back..." Forget South Beach, if you want that go to Miami. This is New Jersey, amusements, boardwalks, arcades, movie theaters, hotels not home decor shops and fancy restaurants.Asbury has died now lets bring her back slowly to her old glory not as something she has never been. Madison Marquette just doesn't get it or maybe they are just doing what Asbury Partner set forth but then who is Asbury Partners and what is thier true agenda .... money or what is best for Asbury Park.
PS The Casino was used as a skate park for awhile why has that not been replaced so the kids have a place to go. It's no wonder they roam the streets....
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