Parking Situation on Maplewood Avenue

It just got a lot worse!

(I'm not actually complaining)

Lots of spaces in front of restaurants have been repurposed as outdoor dining space. Coda, The Maple Leaf, Arturo's, the Ramen Place, The Gate all have outdoor seating in front of them.

Ani Ramen's back open?

ridski said:

Ani Ramen's back open?

 Unsure. Website is unclear. But there's seating outside in front of it. Maybe Bill and Harry should annex the area.

Agreed - nothing to complain about since there's plenty of parking in Ricalton Square and the NJ Transit lot.  

I think this is a wonderful way to help our local restaurants.

The traffic sign on the right has been imbued with a measure of obviousness.

Another important point. The remaining spaces have all got signs designating them as 15 minute curbside pickup only. I'd vote to keep that a permanent change.

DaveSchmidt said:

The traffic sign on the right has been imbued with a measure of obviousness.

I imagine it won't take long for someone to post a picture of some moron turning left into one of the spots.

too easy for a car to plow into the diners....

jmitw said:

too easy for a car to plow into the diners....

 there are concrete barriers. I suppose it's possible a car could thread the needle between the barriers and hit people. It's also possible that a bear could wander into town and maul diners. Or they could be hit by lightning. Or be hit by lightning while being mauled by a bear. The world is a dangerous and scary place. So people who are afraid of the remote chance of being hit by a car would probably have a more enjoyable time staying at home. More tables available for the brave and stalwart members of our community. 

jmitw said:

too easy for a car to plow into the diners....

 Too bad Drumpf won't be sitting at one of those tables....

The barriers are substantial and the speed limit is 15. 

I've got news for people concerned an out of control vehicle will plow into those tables. Better not walk on the sidewalk across the avenue either. Only about four inches of curb separate you from the passing cars. 

ml1 said:

jmitw said:

too easy for a car to plow into the diners....

 there are concrete barriers. I suppose it's possible a car could thread the needle between the barriers and hit people. It's also possible that a bear could wander into town and maul diners. Or they could be hit by lightning. Or be hit by lightning while being mauled by a bear. The world is a dangerous and scary place. So people who are afraid of the remote chance of being hit by a car would probably have a more enjoyable time staying at home. More tables available for the brave and stalwart members of our community. 

 With the taxes I pay, it's outrageous that the town isn't doing something about this bear threat!

chalmers said:

 With the taxes I pay, it's outrageous that the town isn't doing something about this bear threat!

 and where are the lightning rods?

ml1 said:

jmitw said:

too easy for a car to plow into the diners....

 there are concrete barriers. I suppose it's possible a car could thread the needle between the barriers and hit people. It's also possible that a bear could wander into town and maul diners. Or they could be hit by lightning. Or be hit by lightning while being mauled by a bear. The world is a dangerous and scary place. So people who are afraid of the remote chance of being hit by a car would probably have a more enjoyable time staying at home. More tables available for the brave and stalwart members of our community. 

 i don't see concrete in that picture....and EVERYONE will only go 15mph or less...gotcha....a car driving parallel to a curb would more likely glance the curb and be jolted to pay attention and slam on the breaks...but a car driving past these tables will hit the barrier and push into the tables before they have a chance to be jolted into attention.

and there are normally cars there blocking the side walk.....even if not the cars aren't passing so close to the curb

jmitw said:

 i don't see concrete in that picture....and EVERYONE will only go 15mph or less...gotcha....a car driving parallel to a curb would more likely glance the curb and be jolted to pay attention and slam on the breaks...but a car driving past these tables will hit the barrier and push into the tables before they have a chance to be jolted into attention.

 there ARE concrete barriers. Full stop. 

Here ya go 

One way to think about it is how often does a car parked on Maplewood Ave get hit by a car driving by? That would be a good assessment of the risk. I personally have never seen it but I would need a larger sample size over several years before I would accept that study for publication in The Journal of Incredible Research.

I thought this was about Parking and I wanted to say that very few cars are parked by the train station given that people have stopped commuting by train. One can park near the train station and walk through one of the two underpasses into Town.

STANV said:

I thought this was about Parking and I wanted to say that very few cars are parked by the train station given that people have stopped commuting by train. One can park near the train station and walk through one of the two underpasses into Town.

 this implies people are ok with walking a few hundred yards to their destination.  A lot of people are George Costanza when it comes to parking.

Now one can park by the train station and walk over for an outdoor dining experience!!!!

Just for fun, I'll throw this out there.  Turn Maplewood Avenue into a one'way running from Durand down to Lenox. Put the driving lane on the side on the side closest to the train station and widen the sidewalk all the way across where the current parking spots are.  Make permanent outdoor dining areas for the restaurants along that stretch and maybe allow some food carts or a small performance gazebo or something along those lines.

Have at it! 

I love that idea, mrincredible. Many cities are using this situation as an opportunity to rethink the traditional use of space. Maplewood should too!

mrincredible said:

Now one can park by the train station and walk over for an outdoor dining experience!!!!

Just for fun, I'll throw this out there.  Turn Maplewood Avenue into a one'way running from Durand down to Lenox. Put the driving lane on the side on the side closest to the train station and widen the sidewalk all the way across where the current parking spots are.  Make permanent outdoor dining areas for the restaurants along that stretch and maybe allow some food carts or a small performance gazebo or something along those lines.

Have at it! 

 I will sign your petition

OTOH what about Lorena's, Village Coffee, the Sushi place? So, better idea, from Woodland Ave to Baker Ave make the whole thing a Pedestrian Mall.

STANV said:

 I will sign your petition

OTOH what about Lorena's, Village Coffee, the Sushi place? So, better idea, from Woodland Ave to Baker Ave make the whole thing a Pedestrian Mall.

 You could take away the street parking and widen the sidewalks on both sides. One driving lane down the middle for access to the parking lots and Inwood Place.

Kings deliveries would become problematic. 

mrincredible said:

 You could take away the street parking and widen the sidewalks on both sides. One driving lane down the middle for access to the parking lots and Inwood Place.

This did not work so well (at all) in Millburn. 

there are compromises in which the street could be closed completely or in one direction in the evening only.  And perhaps only Thurs-Sun.  Currently Asbury Park is closing sections of Cookman Ave., but only from Thursday afternoon through Sunday evening.

Gotta say, I like the Euro bistro ambience and would be all in favor of making it permanent. Aux terrasses!

And let's install a tram to downtown South Orange while we're at it.

Moammar said:

And let's install a tram to downtown South Orange while we're at it.

 This is an idea I love. A quiet electric tram that travels from Maplewood Village to South Orange and back. Make a loop.

j_r said:

mrincredible said:

 You could take away the street parking and widen the sidewalks on both sides. One driving lane down the middle for access to the parking lots and Inwood Place.

This did not work so well (at all) in Millburn. 

Millburn was a main thoroughfare.  Maplewood village isn’t, the main through traffic is on Valley or Ridgewood.  

in the original pic, there barrier is NOT apparent, would it have been too much to simply say that it is there, rather than a snotty attack?

STANV said:

 I will sign your petition

OTOH what about Lorena's, Village Coffee, the Sushi place? So, better idea, from Woodland Ave to Baker Ave make the whole thing a Pedestrian Mall.

 I assume you mean from Woodland Road to Baker Street.  Woodland Road does not intersect with Maplewood Avenue.  Are you suggesting the entire Village neighborhood be turned into a pedestrian mall?  Great for pedestrians but what about deliveries to restaurants and businesses; and handicapped access for those who can't handle the hills, or the stairways from park side?  At the very least, there would need to be delivery hours when the area is open to vehicles and some form of accessible shuttle from available parking to a designated drop off/pick up point.