Full Notification

The Hoboken Parking Utility is preparing for a series of proposals and initiatives aimed at improving parking availability and convenience.
 
On first reading for consideration by the City Council on Wednesday night is an ordinance establishing meter prices at $2.00 per hour in business district areas of the city.  If adopted on first and second reading, the adjusted meter rates will also coincide with a discount employee parking program. Employees of Hoboken-based businesses will be eligible for a discount parking rate of $5 for 12 hours in Garages B, D, and Midtown. At $5 for 12 hours, employees will be able to save 69% each day compared to parking on-street and feeding the meter for eight hours.
 
“The ordinance that will be introduced by the Hoboken City Council is a first step in the right direction,” said Maria Nieves, President of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce. “If adopted, drivers parking their cars at many meters in Hoboken for an hour will continue to pay less than it costs to buy a medium-sized coffee at Starbucks. That's a good deal, especially as it will support local commerce. In fact, it may not go far enough, but it's a good start. Thus, we support this ordinance and we encourage our Members to similarly do so.”
 
“One of my priorities as Mayor has been to help enhance economic development within our business districts,” said Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “To this end, we attempted to use higher meter rates last year to help generate more parking turnover to free up curbside parking spaces in our business districts. While we learned that the change in curbside pricing finally helped to free up on-street parking spaces for customers, as well as reducing double parking, I recognize that the increase in pricing last year was too much, and too soon. This modified compromise of $2.00 per hour is proposed in partnership with the City Council Parking and Transportation subcommittee and will help improve on-street parking availability and convenience, and attract more customers to our local businesses.”
 
The City is also preparing to launch other initiatives in the coming days and weeks that will improve parking convenience.
 
Virtual Visitor Permits (VVP)
 
On Monday, February 10, the Hoboken Parking Utility will begin the soft launch of online virtual visitor permits. Residents will be able to purchase and activate visitor permits for their guests through any internet-enabled device without ever having to leave their homes or visit HPU again. For the first time ever, residents will have the option to purchase blocks of time for their visitors instead of scratching off hang tags that simply expire at midnight each use.
 
At launch, VVPs will cost $4 for four hours, $5 for eight hours, and $6 for 24 hours. Additionally, residents will have the option to enter the mobile phone number of their guest into the VVP and their guest will receive a text message notification alert 30 minutes before their VVP expires. Previously purchased visitor hang tag permits will still be permitted through the end of 2021.
 
Please visit here for more information, including an FAQ and instructional videos for how to purchase and activate VVPs.
 
Real-Time On-Street Parking Availability
 
The City is also preparing to launch a six-month pilot parking sensor program on Washington Street. As part of the pilot program, HPU will be partnering with Civic Smart to install in-street vehicle detection sensors at 75 parking spaces along Washington Street between Newark Street and 4th Street. With the sensors, drivers will be able to see real time on-street parking availability on Washington Street through the ParkMobile app. More information about the parking sensor pilot program will be announced prior to launch in the coming weeks ahead.
 
Garage Improvements
 
Also in the coming weeks, the Hoboken Parking Utility will be upgrading parking access and revenue control systems (PARCS) in Garage B, Garage D, Garage G, and Midtown. The new PARC systems will include license plate recognition cameras, which will eliminate the need for transponders and streamline garage entry and exit. Additionally, state of the art parking guidance systems will be installed in each garage which will include exterior signage that tells drivers how many parking spaces are available in each garage in real time. The new PARC systems will also provide the ability for monthly costumers to pay online and visitors will be able to conveniently reserve parking spaces online before leaving home.
 
Additional information about the new PARC systems will be available in a follow up announcement prior to launch in the coming weeks.
 
On-Street Merchant Validations
 
In the coming weeks, HPU will be partnering with ParkMobile to offer an on-street merchant validation program. For the first time ever, merchants will be able to purchase promo codes from HPU, which can be used to validate parking meter fees for their customers. More information about this program will become available soon.