TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A timed parking restriction aimed at curbing Westwood Regional High School student drivers will apply to everybody aiming to park on an additional 16 town roads during the school day, effective by the start of the new school year.
In an ongoing effort to resolve residents’ complaints of speeding or distracted young drivers in their neighborhoods, the Township Council agreed unanimously on Monday to fold in the streets under an existing two-hour parking restriction. Should the measure survive a second vote at the council’s next meeting on Aug. 7, the new rules would create a two-hour time limit on both sides of affected streets during the school day, subject to fine.
A recent council push to blanket the town with a two-hour school-day parking limit drew public ire and was scrapped. Now, as set forth in Ordinance No. 17-09, available to read on the township’s website, time limit parking is amended to add:
- Beech Street between Ridgewood Road and Lincoln Avenue;
- Bergen Avenue;
- Calvin Street between Bergen and Lincoln avenues;
- Columbus Square;
- Fern Street between Bergen and Lincoln Avenues;
- Hickory Street between Bergen and Lincoln Avenues;
- Howard Street between Ridgewood Road and Lincoln Avenue;
- Maple Avenue;
- Mountain Avenue between Ridgewood Road and Lincoln Avenue;
- Pershing Avenue;
- Prospect Avenue;
- South Chestnut Street;
- Sussex Road between Eton Road and Lincoln Avenue;
- Times Square;
- Walnut Street between Bergen and Lincoln Avenues; and
- Webster Avenue.
The township also plans to buy and install 235 warning signs to alert drivers on those streets that the clock is ticking.
The problem remains how to encourage student drivers at Westwood Regional High School to take advantage of on-campus parking, and discourage them from parking on residential streets, which has alarmed some neighbors and brought them to council meetings to complain about unsafe driving.
The council members, Mayor Janet Sobkowicz and a number of residents have said they’re eager for a solution before September, when a large senior class is expected. The mayor and council also have said they’ve been trying to work with district leadership on the issue of student parking, but have not been successful.
Reached for comment for a previous story on the subject, District Superintendent Ray Gonzalez denied that he had been approached by town officials on the need for parking bans.
“The school affords approximately 137 spaces for senior student parking, which represents more than double the spaces available in 2009,” Gonzalez said, adding that any students who park on the street “choose to do so on their own; however, it is not authorized by the school and all students are advised accordingly.”
Anticipating the larger size of next year’s senior class, Gonzalez explained in that earlier story that the administration is planning to put in place measures to accommodate as many students as possible through ride sharing and beginning and mid-year lotteries.
At the July 17 council meeting, Councilmember Thomas Sears took issue with Gonzalez’s published stance, at one point calling him distant from at least this concern of the community.