January 29
...serving up your daily dish.
One pay station worked. The other was broken. Tempers flared. Horns honked. And nobody cared if we took their picture. Click here to see the movie.
January 29, 2006 in Seen in Cyberspace | Permalink
That's how the photog spent her Saturday night? Tough way to earn a living.
But, I agree - I was in the deck last night after a dinner party - the paying machine at one end was broken and even though the other worked, the machine that accepts the tixket after you and and releases the gate, did not work; I got away just in time as a HUGE crowd come in from a movie.
I emailed John Teubner at the Parking Authority when I got back. Then I went out and copied down the numbers of three PSE+G light poles that are out on my street, came back in and emailed PSE+G. Let's hope both probelms get corrected soon.
Posted by: Ed Remsen | Jan 29, 2006 7:39:39 AM
Mr. Mayor,
Contacting PSE&G doesn't work nearly as well as E-mailing the Public Utilities Commission. PSE&G is deathly afraid of the PUC who controls the fate of all rate increases and other requlatory matters that great effect them. Once you contact the PUC, PSE&G lunges into action in a matter of 30-60 minutes. Try it and see!
Posted by: Charles D Kreps | Jan 29, 2006 8:02:18 AM
After last night, I have learned the purpose of the parking garage: to siphon off the cars of unsuspecting out-of-towners, leaving on-street parking and the metered lots for the rest of us. This lesson cost me 25 minutes and a buck and a half, but would be cheap at twice the price.
Posted by: nosy parker | Jan 29, 2006 8:22:10 AM
"That's how the photog spent her Saturday night? Tough way to earn a living."
Well, I say kudos the the photog and Barista for pointing this out. These machines are relatively new; they should not be having so many problems so early on in the game. No wonder people are frustrated.
Posted by: Miss Martta (8T) | Jan 29, 2006 8:31:01 AM
In general, governments are better at building things than they are at operating or maintaining them.
Posted by: MikeM | Jan 29, 2006 8:42:04 AM
Mike: I think every business over a certain size can access capital money easier than operational money. That appears to be how life is in the big city.
Posted by: Rick | Jan 29, 2006 11:11:08 AM
FYI that far pay station was out of order over a week ago when I was there last Saturday.
Posted by: Amy | Jan 29, 2006 4:46:32 PM
Parked in the Crescent deck today & was shocked to find it free on Sunday. It's definitely underpriced (should be $1.00 for the first hour and NOT free on Sunday) and underequipped (should add one more pay station on each level).
Posted by: appletony | Jan 29, 2006 9:13:38 PM
appletony,
All meters are free on Sunday in Montclair, why should the Crescent deck be different? I for one don't have a problem with free parking.
Posted by: caris | Jan 29, 2006 9:29:48 PM
"I got away just in time as a HUGE crowd come in from a movie."
I can just see Mayor Ed donning his Groucho Marx glasses and mustache and slinking away just as the crowd begins to get ugly...
Posted by: walleroo | Jan 30, 2006 11:34:04 AM
I hate this parking structure. It ruins my cute little street.
Related, did anyone hear more about the guy who got pistol-whipped and mugged at 8:30 saturday night on the corner of southpark and crescent?
someone hung a flyer about it in my building...
Posted by: Left Of Center, like Suzanna Vega | Jan 30, 2006 11:47:07 AM
too bad the video wasn't in a more open standard. I don't do windows media.
Posted by: lasermike026 | Jan 30, 2006 12:36:09 PM
Caris,
The deck is new, desirable and cost a bunch to build. Having the Crescent cost $$ on Sundays would help recoup that cost.
Posted by: Appletony | Jan 30, 2006 12:38:40 PM
John Teubner of the Parking Authority has been working on this issue all day and has come up with the following plan of action:
1. The MPA will get a Powerpack unit from the pay station manufacturer; this allows the office to become a cashier if one of the machines goes off(the non-functioning one at the South Fullerton side was off for 30 minutes the other night)
2. The MPA will consider extending the grace period from 15 to 30 minutes for Saturday nights.
3. Addtional signage has been ordered to make it clear that folks have to pay before they return to their cars.
4. The repair team will be on-call Saturday nights and additional training of the on-site staff will take place to allow for faster response to machine breakdowns.
5. Propark (the on-site operator) will have additional staff in rge deck on Saturday nights.
6. The MPA is exploring the idea of purchasing and installing at least one more pay station.
Posted by: Ed Remsen | Jan 30, 2006 3:44:11 PM
Ed,
One more pay station is not going to do it. There should be at least one on every level. And they should take ATM's as well as cash. Even better: find an EZ pass solution, where people could have their ticket automatically scanned and charged to an EZ pass (or similar) account.
Posted by: The Barista | Jan 30, 2006 3:49:53 PM
Kudos to Ed & the P.A. for responsiveness on that. However, I think the Barista's EZ Pass suggestion would be HUGE, is possible.
Here's a related question: what's with the signs in the garage warning customers that the video cameras aren't monitored by garage staff? That's a pretty lame CYA move by the P.A., and a great tipoff to any muggers in the garage.
Since the garage has staff on duty in the office, putting a monitor in there is a TOTAL no-brainer. Particularly with muggers at the Crescent!
Posted by: Backsore | Jan 31, 2006 7:41:52 AM
Let alone the machines not working, how about some signs indicating that you have to use the machines to pay. When I used the deck everyone had to literally backout of the line to leave because they had no idea they had to pay over at the machine first! More signage is desperately needed!
Posted by: Amanda | Apr 14, 2006 2:17:44 PM
