Toms River Increases Parking Meter Rates

Toms River, NJ -- Toms River officials approved an ordinance Tuesday evening to increase parking fees at the township's parking facilities for the first time in 23 years.

The ordinance, approved by the Township Council, increases the fee to 50 cents per hour from the current 25 cents per hour for street parking for the first two hours, with the fee increasing "progressively" beyond the first two hours. Parking fees in the township's parking structure, by the Ocean County Library, increased to 75 cents per hour for the first two hours.

The parking fees ordinance also changes the hours the fees are charged, ending them at 5 p.m. Previously parking fees had to be paid through 6 p.m.

The increase, the first since 1993, would fund upgrades to the meters to new technology, which the ordinance says will increase efficiency of the Toms River Parking Authority.

The new meters "and associated technology" are expected to cost $250,000, according to the ordinance.

(Quarters by Andrew Malone, via Flickr under Creative Commons license)