Princeton Weighs Parking Rate Changes, Higher Spring Street Garage Permit Fee

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton officials are considering changes to metered parking rates and Spring Street garage fees, including a proposed increase in the monthly garage permit.

Deanna Stockton, deputy administrator of the Department of Infrastructure and Operations and municipal engineer, presented the proposal to the council on Monday.

Stockton said the proposal is the first broad change in parking rates in years.

"Princeton parking rates have not changed since 2019, except for the 90-minute zone that was added in 2024. So this proposal is the first change in seven years," Stockton said.

She said the recommendations are tied to parking policies Princeton has followed since its 2018 parking system overhaul, including encouraging turnover in high-demand spaces, keeping more remote parking less expensive, and using parking revenue to support municipal services.

According to Stockton, parking revenues help fund "the loop buses, additional trash collection in the CBD, street sweeping, storm water management, landscaping, and tax relief, along with the everyday costs of operating the parking utility."

She said expenditures increased 16 percent from 2021 to 2025 because of higher staffing, utility, parking app, transit support, and maintenance costs while downtown parking demand continued to rise.

The proposal includes rate increases for 30-minute, 90-minute, three-hour, all-day Princeton station and omnibus parking zones.

Stockton also outlined a new higher-priced inner three-hour zone in the areas with the strongest demand, while keeping a lower-priced outer three-hour zone.

She said holiday metered parking rules would be clarified in the municipal code, without changing the current practice of suspending both fees and time limits on listed holidays.

For the Spring Street garage, Stockton said Princeton is recommending a daytime rate of $2 per hour from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., a maximum daytime charge of $28, and a flat overnight rate of $5 from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Princeton is also are reviewing the monthly permit rate for the Spring Street garage.

The recommendation is to increase the monthly permit from $180 to $225, said Stockton.

"This reflects the value of the monthly garage access, helps us keep pace with operating costs, and keeps it within the range of comparable local parking options," said Stockton.

The proposal would also delete a separate holiday garage rate and codify up to two hours of library validation parking.

Council members raised questions about equity, transit and long-term parking supply.

Councilman Leighton Newlin raised one issue in relation to increased rates.

"I think it is important, and that is whenever we raise prices, there's an impact on everybody. And there are some people who come into Princeton and shop and this is what they do, and an increase in prices, they just can knock this off. But you know, you have people who maybe work for nonprofits, coming to church is a one-off, just coming into Princeton for a day or two. And it's a different impact on these people. So I just want us to be mindful that when we make decisions like this, this has an impact on everybody," said Newlin.

Councilman Brian McDonald also noted there are 150 people on the waiting list for Spring Street garage permits and said the municipality had stopped taking names.

"We're never going to be able to accommodate even the people that are on that list, whether you raise rates or not," said Stockton.

She added that Experience Princeton has contracted for a study on leasing and obstacles to leasing, and that parking is expected to be part of that discussion in the coming months.

"One of the things that emerges, and it's a perennial issue, is parking, parking, parking. We all know that. But what's happening is it stops some folks from coming in and starting businesses here," said Stockton. "Leighton touched on equity, and I think that this is something we really need to consider how we're going to tackle that."

"Maybe this is just a drop in the large bucket. But I think it's a step in the right direction, but we definitely are going to need to address the larger picture, the elephant in the room, so to speak," said Stockton.

A draft ordinance is expected to be introduced on June 22, followed by a public hearing on July 13.

Stockton said the rates would not take effect until Sept. 1 if the council decides to move forward with it.

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