Traditional Self-Parking Deck Is The Clear Choice For Hudson Street Parking Solution, Officials Conclude

The results of an independent parking study show that a traditional parking deck on Hudson Street is the clear choice regarding what should be done to alleviate the parking crunch in the Central Business District.

A report by Walker Parking Consultants shows that the cost of a traditional parking deck would be about $11 to $12 million an an automated parking garage would cost an estimated $17 to $24 million.

“Self-parking makes the most sense if 200 to 275 added spaces will satisfy most parking demands,” the report states. “This system will work well for commuter and retail/restaurant parkers who have relatively short parking durations or demands for a quick exit.”

Walker outlined two automated solutions in the report: A rack & rail system where vehicles are moved with lifts, and another lift-based system where vehicles are put on pallets and moved laterally on steel frames and rollers.

Officials anticipate that a five-level self-parking garage would add 274 parking spaces to the 76 that currently exist on Hudson Street while a four-level garage would add 201 spaces.

Automated parking garages could provide an additional 318 or 322 spaces, but an automated “rack and rail” system because it “balances cost per added space with maximizing parking.” But the cost per vehicle is $8,000 per added space.

The self-parking option has the lowest construction cost per space, annual maintenance cost, and the ability to handle a surge in parking demand.

Village Manager Roberta Sonnenfeld told NorthJersey.com that officials recommended to start writing a request for proposals for ”a traditional parking garage.

“This was valuable to us, we learned a lot, we spent time with the consultant and I also think we can take this and apply it to North Walnut as we look at the North Walnut redevelopment zone,” Sonnenfeld told the website.

Officials will vote on bonding $500,000 in pre-construction funding for the project at a public meeting July 15 at 8 p.m.