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After just two weeks in his new post as the City’s Transportation Manager, Michael Manzella shared his vision and goals via a written news release.

“I’m focused on the safety of residents, and in accommodating visitors to the City and its businesses,” Manzella [at right] said. “I’m interested in facilitating a positive business and economic development climate while focusing on all areas of the city in terms of transportation improvements, accessibility, and mobility.”

Manzella’s position was created this year by the City Council, who opted to fold the $3.4 million revenue utility’s guidance into a full time, in-house position.

The position includes overseeing parking, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian safety, according to city officials.

“Asbury Park may not be a large city, but the transportation issues it faces deserve the full-time attention of a knowledgeable professional,” Mayor John Moor said. “Myself and the City Council are confident that Mr. Manzella will be able to find strategies and solutions for Asbury Park’s pressing transportation concerns.”

In the past few years, an ad hoc committee comprised of residents, business owners like Michael Sodano of the ShowRoom, City Council members Amy Quinn and Mayor John Moor, as well as master waterfront and boardwalk redeveloper representatives Carrie Turner, formerly of Madison Marquette and Brian Cheripka, iStar’s Senior VP of Land and Development, heralded the utility’s changes in order to address limited parking issues during the increasingly popular summer tourist season.

In 2014 the committee recommended the hiring of parking consultant Desman Associates, whose 2015 report found that management of the city’s parking infrastructure was the key to getting a handle the limited parking issues. They also recommended an adjustment of parking fees, transforming the municipal and transportation lots into metered parking spaces, and limiting permit parking guidelines.

Since then, meters were added to the municipal lots, permit parking distribution and meter fees were readjusted and iStar opened up parking lots that added 450 new spaces.

The creation of the Transportation Manager position and Manzella’s hiring was one of last key factors to be addressed. Manzella, formerly of Holmdel,  now lives in downtown Asbury Park. His annually salary is close to $75,000, with a stipulation that it will not exceed an estimated $80,000 in 2017, Moor has said.

“I have a lot of ideas for ways to improve transportation for the whole city, and the biggest issue right now is the parking experience,” Manzella said. “That’s my first priority, especially increasing parking availability in the downtown and waterfront area, and particularly during the peak seasonal period. Improving the overall experience and ease of use of the parking system- that’s been stressed to me by residents, visitors, and the City Council.”

A Monmouth County native, Manzella grew up in Keansburg and attended Communications High School in Wall.

Manzella holds an undergraduate degree in engineering management from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken and a graduate degree in city and regional planning with a focus on transportation policy and planning from Rutgers University’s Bloustein School in New Brunswick.

He has worked in the aerospace industry, and spent the past three years as a Senior Transportation Planner with the Middletown-based engineering firm T&M Associates.

“I’m really passionate about the direction of the city and its people,” Manzella said. “I’m committed to Asbury Park, and I care about this community. My doors are always open, and I welcome any recommendations or suggestions.”

Manzella can be reached via michael.manzella@cityofasburypark.com or  at 732-502-5727.

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