By DON STINE
The state-owned parking garage on Bangs Avenue in Asbury Park (pictured above) will eventually have pay-to–park meters installed, similar to ones already in place in the downtown area and at the beachfront.
“Let’s keep moving forward (on providing new parking in the city). This is a good idea so let’s do it,” said Councilman John Loffredo, who is also a member of the city’s parking committee.
The garage, at the intersection with Emory Street, has more than 200 parking spaces that are used primarily by state workers employed at a nearby building on weekdays.
On Fridays after 6 p.m. and on weekends, however, the garage is open for public parking. A parking attendant currently collects the parking fees.
“The state is letting us use the garage on weekends as long as the city supplies the attendant,” Loffredo said.
Installing the paid parking meters will most likely eliminate the need for a paid parking attendant on weekends.
Loffredo said that all of the parking spaces in the garage will probably be numbered and that old, unused pay stations, which the city already owns, will be installed.
“The parking will be just like on other city streets and cost $1 an hour,” he said.
There is no time frame right now for the implementation of installing the parking meters in the garage but Loffredo said he would like to “see it sooner rather than later.”
“It will make it easier and more cost effective to do this next. We still need to work out the details with the state. We need more parking spaces and this will be a convenience for downtown shoppers and we will utilize it the best we can,” he said.
“I would like to do more (to provide parking) but this is a step in the right direction,’ he said.
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