Private Parking Move At Junction?
New Jersey Transit has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) from private entities to operate parking facilities at 81 stations across the state, one of which is Princeton Junction — the first of a two-stage procurement process that would move toward privatizing NJ Transit-owned parking facilities.
But Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh says this recent move by the NJ Transit does not deal with structured parking. Rather, it deals with management of the NJ Transit-owned parking facilities. While it might not affect the structured parking plans, the prospects of focusing on those plans for a new garage on NJ Transit’s property will see at least some delay.
West Windsor officials said earlier this year that they would be one of the entities submitting proposals when the request for proposals (RFPs) are sent out for development of a new parking garage at the train station.
Right now, Hsueh says, West Windsor is focused on creating its own site for a parking lot at the former township compost site on Alexander Road, where West Windsor can develop parking for West Windsor residents only.
And officials say that the spaces currently owned and managed by the West Windsor Parking Authority will not be impacted and that the privatization will only affect NJ Transit-owned properties.
In April, the West Windsor Township Council submitted a joint proposal with the parking authority to NJ Transit that would designate the parking authority as the developer of the new parking garage at the train station.
The move would have allowed the township to have a higher level of control over the project. Although developing the projected 2,200-space garage would give the township a greater ability to oversee the project, West Windsor cannot reserve any parking spaces specifically for township residents in the garage. In prior talks with New Jersey Transit, township officials encouraged New Jersey Transit to include the retail space in the design.
However, New Jersey Transit advised the township to submit a proposal when it sends out the RFPs, meaning the township will have to bid along with the private developers.
Hsueh said, though, that this recent action by NJ Transit deals with management of NJ Transit-owned facilities on site, not on development of new parking garages.
“Last year, we were working with New Jersey Transit under a different administration,” said Hsueh, adding that the prior administration had a different philosophy. The new administration, however, is moving toward privatizing its facilities. It is only after that management privatization is complete that the focus will turn to building parking garages.
“From our perspective, we decided to move forward with our own parking, and that means we are going to expedite the process to deal with the compost stations and turning that into additional parking for West Windsor residents,” said Hsueh. “That will become our priority.”
Added Hsueh: “The first step is they want to have management contractors. After that, they will talk about structured parking or additional facilities. I don’t think West Windsor can wait for that.”
According to the RFQ document filed by NJ Transit, “the purpose of this RFQ is to provide prospective proposers an opportunity to formally express their interest in bidding on a concession of certain NJ Transit parking assets.”
In the document, NJ Transit states that the concession agreement is expected to be a long-term agreement granting the successful proposer the exclusive right to operate the concession assets and to collect parking and other revenues. The concession agreement is anticipated to be in the range of 30-50 years.
According to figures provided in the document by NJ Transit, the Princeton Junction train station averages about 7,030 weekday boardings. The figures also show that NJ Transit controls 72 percent — or 2,625 of the total 3,635 — of the parking spaces at the train station.
The annual gross revenue brought in by parking facilities at the train station is $3.13 million.
Andy Lupo, the chairman of the West Windsor Parking Authority, said that there will be no impact on WWPA-owned spaces and facilities.
“We had received word from New Jersey Transit about their intentions,” said Lupo. “They have some cash flow issues and budget gaps that they’re trying to fill.”
“We have to see what they’re going to do with their properties, but we are obviously exploring different options to benefit West Windsor commuters,” said Lupo.
