By Bryant Romero—
Students at New Jersey City University who do not have parking plans could come across more issues within the parking facilities that the school provides. Students with no parking plans will have to pay up to $6 for a day to park their cars at the G-SUB parking garage and Lot # 3 located on the West Campus. The pay-by-foot stations are available to students 11 pm but can cause problems for students if the vendors are not working properly.
“Right now we’re running tests on the machines, and last week we put them back in service,” said Joe Rodriguez Associate Director for Public Safety. “We’ve been working with the vendors, and because of construction on the main campus, service was not available for a purpose because they were not accessible, but they should be working now.”
If students are paying cash, there are 3 locations students can go to for pay-by-foot stations.
One is located in the parking garage; another is at the bus shelter in front of the professional studies building, and one in Lot # 3 on the West Campus (located on West Side Avenue). However, what can students do to get out of parking lots if all 3 vendors are down?
“We have a validator here in the office and students can validate their tickets in the office. We’re here 24/7, 7 days a week, there always 2 shift supervisors that are working,” said Rodriguez.
The campus community in NJCU has mixed feelings about the parking situation at the school. Most students will be left with a dilemma of having to choose between obtaining a parking plan which is costly ($100 flat fee for a semester) or looking for on the street parking, which at times can be difficult. Students run the risk of being subject to fines and their cars being booted if parked in restricted areas around the school without a Resident Parking Permit after 3 p.m.
“There’s never parking around because of residential parking after 3 pm,” said Daniella Luiz 18, undecided from Elizabeth NJ. “It’s too much money in the parking lots. I would want it to be lower”
“I don’t really have a problem with the parking,” said Leslie Astuto 20, Music Education major, from North Bergen, NJ. “I park on the west side lot and I have a parking plan, but the shuttle buses do take a little long sometimes.”
Students that possess parking plans seem have to fewer issues than those who pay cash, but could still come across problems parking in the garage at the G-SUB.
“There are hardly any parking spots in the garage sometimes,” said Umera Beg 24, early childhood education major from Jersey City, NJ. “One time I waited 20 minutes for a spot to be open, but I don’t have any trouble getting out. I haven’t paid with cash in a long time.”
The Public Safety Department office is located at Vodra Hall in room 116. The hours and days of operation for parking service are Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Fridays and more information can be obtained by visiting their link at http://web.njcu.edu/dept/parking/content/default.asp
Students who still choose to find on street parking around the University should know that there are parking restrictions between 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Audubon Avenue the entire length, Broadman Parkway between Westside Ave & Kennedy Blvd, College Drive Between Audubon Ave & Culver Ave, Culver Avenue on South side of street between Westside Ave & Kennedy Blvd, Kennedy Blvd on Eastside: between Culver Ave & Broadman Parkway, Stegman Street between Westside & Kennedy Blvd, and West View Court the entire length.
“If students are here beyond 10 p.m., parking attendants on the main west campus are there till 11 p.m., if students are paying cash and are here after 11 p.m. they should use pay by foot stations because the attendants are already clocked out,” said Joe Rodriguez.