City extends free Wednesday parking until March
Business owners report the initiative has been helpful
Free parking in any of Asbury Park’s metered spots has been extended through February.
Councilman John Loffredo announced plans for the extension during last week’s city council meeting. Loffredo is the chairman of the city’s parking committee.
At the committee’s monthly meeting, business owners said the Wednesday free parking initiative was helpful to them, according to Loffredo.
“Frankly, if it works, I think we should continue doing it,” he said. “It’s not big loss to the city.”
Members of the Asbury Park City Council voted 5-0 on the extension. Wednesday, Feb. 26 will be the last day of complimentary parking anywhere in the city.
Three privately owned parking lots owned by Asbury Partners located along the waterfront also remain open and free. The lots are located in front of the carousel building at the intersection of Asbury and Cookman avenues, between Second and Third avenues, and Fourth and Fifth avenues, along Ocean Avenue.
Parking in the city, especially in the burgeoning downtown area, is an issue that comes up often at multiple city meetings. While new restaurants and businesses continue to open their doors, no new parking spots have been added. To address this issue, and to conduct a holistic study of the current parking situation citywide and make recommendations, city officials voted unanimously to hire a parking consultant in December.
The parking committee meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the city manager’s office.
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