By: Isaac Linsk, Follow South Jersey Intern
GLASSBORO, N.J. – There is no longer any entirely free street parking in Glassboro. The town which hosts Rowan University has been taking strides to increase vehicle turnover in its downtown area by ending all free parking in the city’s lots and on its streets. In order to consolidate the revenue earned by the borough’s new parking fees, the city has partnered with the Flowbird Group, a company specializing in parking and transportation logistics.
“By implementing modernized parking solutions with convenient payment options, the Borough will be able to better manage parking turnover,” Borough Mayor John E Wallace III stated in an October press release.
Drivers planning on staying longer than 30 minutes in one of the 13 parking zones and garages listed on the borough’s parking map will have to pay a fee starting at a rate of $1 per hour. There will be a 4 hour maximum time limit available for these new paid spots with a maximum fee of $8. Overnight parking will only be available in certain lots owned by the borough for a flat fee of $8 with the exception that the vehicle must be moved by 7 a.m.
Anyone wishing to avoid these paid parking fees are short of options. Most residential streets require a permit in order to park on the street, with many streets not allowing any on-street parking. Anyone in need of an overnight parking spot for their vehicle in the residential areas of Glassboro must fill out a form with the borough’s police department.
The shift in policy was not a rapid one. Glassboro has had a parking committee since 1996. But the conditions surrounding on-street parking have changed rapidly in the last 20 years. Glassboros population only grew from 19068 in 2000 to 23600 in 2022, but Rowan’s student population has grown from 9,364 to 19,738 in that same respective time period. With 65% of Rowan’s student body living off-campus or commuting, the need for innovative parking solutions is a pressing concern in Glassboro.
In a January press release from the borough updating the public on the rates of parking, Mayor Wallace also confirmed that the Glassboro library would be moving into a new location on Rowan Boulevard, with a designated parking lot on main street free for library patrons only.
“The Borough of Glassboro continues to evolve into a community that will support a walkable urban downtown experience,” Wallace said in the press release.
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