Where is Old Bridge parking permit money going?

Last year I e-mailed two Old Bridge officials to ask why residents were being required to pay $25 for each commuter parking permit, in addition to the $1 per day we must pay at the lot. This can become very taxing to families who must purchase permits for more than one car.

The response that I received was that they needed to do maintenance to the commuter parking lots in Old Bridge, such as paving the lot at Jake Brown Road. It is now one year later, they are once again charging $25 for each permit, and I have not seen any repairs done to the commuter parking lots. What is this money being used for?

Perhaps this money is going to pay for the overtime of our nonexistent police department. I read stories in the Suburban about how the police department has used all the funds allocated to it for overtime. What are they doing? I drive up and down Route 9 and rarely come across a police car in Old Bridge, but when I venture off into our surrounding towns such as Sayreville and Marlboro, those police cars are always there just waiting to pull someone over for a traffic infraction. How many more lives need to be lost on the roadways of Old Bridge before someone does something about this?

If the township needs more tax dollars for renovations to commuter parking lots and for the overtime of its police department, I have a suggestion. Why doesn’t the township try sending some officers over to Route 9 during the morning and evening rush hours to ticket those offenders on the roadways. Most of the people that use the Old Bridge park and ride are not even Old Bridge residents; however, they race up and down Route 9 like they own the roads.

Also, many motorists pull over to drop off passengers at the Old Bridge park and ride even though signs clearly state "No Stopping or Standing at Any Time." This is a hazard and an annoyance in more ways than one. First, it holds up the buses that are trying to pull out onto Route 9. Also, the cars interfere with traffic moving along Route 9 north in the morning as they try to get back onto the roadway.

I am certain that if the Old Bridge Police Department had two officers handing out summonses to these traffic offenders, they would have more than enough revenue to repair the commuter parking lots, along with enough revenue to cover the police officers’ overtime.

Kevin Borsilli

Old Bridge