To the Editor,

I share the frustrations of those experiencing difficulties using the municipality’s new parking system and want to assure residents and visitors that members of municipal staff are working daily with our vendors on fixes while exploring all possible alternatives. While I can’t speak for all of Council, I expect my colleagues and I will be taking action this month. It is certainly my first priority.

As a member of Council’s Public Works Committee, I know that the overhaul of our parking system was necessary: multiple antiquated meters were breaking down daily and rates hadn’t increased in a decade. Revenue raised by meters funds maintenance of our parking infrastructure and is used for property tax relief.

When I took office in 2017, Council was in the beginning stages of a robust and transparent public engagement process around this issue, with more than a dozen public meetings involving citizens, institutions, and businesses. The new system was developed by nationally respected professionals and policy decisions were based on locally collected data and best practices.

That said, the new parking system is a work in progress: we continue to collect data and will be making changes as necessary. After more than a decade in public life here, I’ve learned that what works in another town isn’t always scalable to Princeton.

Meanwhile, I urge neighbors experiencing problems with individual meters or pay stations to please report them immediately to Access Princeton so staff can make short-term fixes if possible. We have been following all public comment on this issue and are well aware of the problems. Please write to me at tquinn@princetonnj.gov if I can answer any questions. Thank you for your patience.

Councilman Tim Quinn

Wilton Street