Should New Jersey Shore Towns In South Jersey Build Parking Garages

One of the most frustrating aspects to the Jersey Shore Summer Season is searching for parking. Both Vacationers and Locals have complained for decades about how exasperating it is to park during the busy summer months.

For some people, it is so bad that they refuse to patronize certain businesses if there is no complementary parking or convenient parking area nearby!

While towns like Ocean City are turning to Artificial Intelligence to help visitors find parking, there is a growing segment of people on Social Media for a more aggressive solution.

A Solution To Parking Problems At The Jersey Shore

I have seen in several Facebook Groups where people debate the solution is Parking Garages for the South Jersey Coastal Communities.  The idea may seem radical on the surface, but there are some positives to Parking Garages for the South Jersey Coastal Communities.

The population of many Jersey Shore towns ballons into the tens of thousands each year and in areas of New Jersey that are densely populated, the Parking Garages are a great option.

The biggest obstacle to Parking Garages is the question 'where would you put them'.  Along with not having some obvious open space areas for a Parking Garage, they are considered an eye sour and no one wants to have their houses or apartments near a concrete tower full of automobiles.

A Financial Benefit For South Jersey Towns To Build Parking Garages

But there is a financial opportunity to be had for each of the South Jersey Coastal Communities with Parking Garages.  You can fit more vehicles into a Parking Garage compared to a Municipal Lot. The towns will make more money while cutting down on traffic driving around looking for parking spots.

Now I understand that the location of these Parking Garages is an important part of the discussion so I have come up with a list of location ideas for some of the South Jersey Shore Towns:

*Cape May
I remember seeing someone else suggest this idea on Facebook: Build a Parking Garage on Ocean Street where the Washington Commons Shopping and Parking Lot is currently located. You can construct it a way that does not prevent shoppers from visiting the businesses currently on the lot. Many people could use this garage and walk the Washington Street Mall year-round

*Margate
This might be a controversial idea but what if the Tomatoes and Sofia's Parking Lots were replaced with a Parking Garage sandwiched between North Washington Avenue and North Adams Avenue? Visitors could park without competing with the locals for spots and walk to all the great local restaurants in Margate.

*Ocean City
The most obvious option is the vacant lot between 16th and 17th Streets sandwiched between Simpson and Haven Avenues. The city owns the lot and there is plenty of space for a massive parking garage. The second option would be the corner of 34th Street and Simpson Avenue where an abandoned bank currently sits.

*Sea Isle City
The Public Parking Lot next to the Sea Isle City Welcome Center on 42nd Place near the JFK Boulevard Bridge would be an interesting location if the town is willing to change some traffic patterns.  Another option could be the Public Parking lot at the corner of 45th Street and Landis Avenue.  Both locations are within walking distance of the SIC Downtown.

*Stone Harbor
The Parking Lot on 97th Street could be an option but the city would need to make the street wider if you want to squeeze traffic in and out of a Parking garage.  A better option would be the parking lot between 94th and 93rd Streets on Second Avenue. The lot already has a one-way in, one-way out option so putting a Parking Garage there would have a similar setup with the entry from 94th Street and exit onto 93rd Street.

*Ventnor
The empty lot at the corner of Weymouth Avenue and Ventnor Ave across the street from the Ventnor Square Theater would be an option. Visitors could stop at Wawa on their way to or from the Beach during the Summer months.

*Wildwood
There is one area that makes more sense than any other location for a Parking Garage in Wildwood: The Parking Lots adjacent to the Wildwood Convention Center on Ocean Avenue. Visitors to Wildwood could walk to Fox Park, the Beach, or spend a day on the boardwalk, all from easy access from the Parking Garage.

Finally, as part of my proposal about Parking Garages, you can have a Shuttle Service that runs every day that will bring people to and from the Garage.  Shuttle Service is already an option in many South Jersey Shore Towns.

In the meantime, in a world with no Parking Garages in Cape May County, you have to pay for parking.  Here is the information you need before visiting the popular Coastal Communities in New Jersey's southernmost county: