$#@! Parking at new Post Office location

The good news is there has never been a line at the new Maplewood Post Office since they have moved.

The bad news is there are no customers because it is so difficult to park there!

The post office has created a "loading zone" in front eliminating 3-4 street parking spots but they left two remaining spots in front and designated them as  "20 minute" parking. Today both of those "20 minute" parking spots were filled for hours by US Government cars - I suppose the postal workers like to park out front to keep those pesky paying customers away.  

GRRRR.......

Where is the new post office?  I take it this is neither the Union PO nor Springfield Avenue...

Scully, it's on Maplewood Avenue, just before Lenox Place (across from the big parking lot that is usually full by 9 a.m.). There really isn't much parking available. I don't mind parking a block or two away and walking, but not if I have a bulky package to mail or am picking up  mail after vacation (can we even still pick up vacation mail in Maplewood or do we have to go to Union to do that? I will have to ask at the post office sometime).

I've been going to the Springfield Ave. satellite post office location, since I usually can get a place to park near it.

I usually can park on Baker St. and walk around the corner to the P.O.  

I've never had a problem parking in Maplewood. I don't know the name of that street just past the new PO location, but there are always spots down there. It's half a block walk.

However, that is annoying that government vehicles are using 20 minute spots and not getting ticketed. The lack of handicap parking spots must be a federal violation, though. There must be a regulation to have one within a certain distance of any federal building.

Worse than that is there is less parking for me to get coffee at The Able Baker...a real problem.

Thanks @cody.  I'll have to check it out...

Something should definitely be done about the government vehicles taking up the 20-minute spots as well as the lack of a handicapped space in that section (if that is the case - I haven't verified, but I have no reason not to believe the earlier post on that.) 

Personally, I still frequent the Vauxhall PO, and recommend it (despite its parking issues at times.)  I was just there yesterday, in fact.

One might send a quick missive off to the TC...sure they'll be happy to take it up with the PO folks.

The handicapped  parking issue was brought up at a TC meeting at the same time that the 20 minute parking issue was being discussed.  I seem to recall that it was said at the meeting that a handicapped spot was not required.  This doesn't mean that there shouldn't be one.  Agree that 20 minute spots should apply to everyone, including federal government employees.

joan_crystal said:

The handicapped  parking issue was brought up at a TC meeting at the same time that the 20 minute parking issue was being discussed.  I seem to recall that it was said at the meeting that a handicapped spot was not required.  This doesn't mean that there shouldn't be one.  Agree that 20 minute spots should apply to everyone, including federal government employees.

 In my personal experience, this town is not handicapped driver friendly.  I had my issues with the Mayor and the silent Town Council who seemed to make the mayor do all the talking, that they feel that doing the very least they legally have to do to provide handicapped parking is sufficient.  So I'm not surprised to hear them AGAIN saying that a handicapped spot was not required at the post office site.  That was one of the big reasons why I took early retirement -- their refusal to provide more handicapped parking spaces at the train station -- where handicapped commuters could easily access the trains, rather than having to walk up and down 4 flights of stairs a day.  I guess government vehicles, green vehicles, golf carts, etc. get more consideration than actual handicapped people who need the spaces.

Even with adequate handicapped parking at the train station, walking up and down flights of stairs to get to/from the train would still be necessary because Maplewood Station is not handicapped accessible.  Handicapped access to the center and and west bound platforms would require a major redesign by NJT.  The town could lobby for this to be done but if NJT doesn't want to invest in making Maplewood Station handicapped compliant, it isn't going to happen.

The post office on Maplewood Avenue by Lenox Place is accessible so a better argument can be made for hanicapped parking there.

So a government agency is not required to follow the rules of the ADA? Or does the ADA not require a handicapped spot? I'm very puzzled by that.

The govt cars are most likely driven from one post office location to another, not from home to work. I agree that the timed parking spots should be open to the public, and not be taken up by USPS,  but where should the govt cars park, and do they transport any documents?  The problem just reflects the poor location of the Post Office, with inadequate parking sites for all the needs at that location.

I suspect that the ADA specifies an overall regulation about handicapped parking applicable for the entire village area.  But because the PO is a retailer in a row of stores, without its own dedicated parking lot, I doubt that there is a requirement for specific spots close to the PO. That being said, it would be nice if the town provided for that even if they aren't specifically required to do so.

sac said:

I suspect that the ADA specifies an overall regulation about handicapped parking applicable for the entire village area.  But because the PO is a retailer in a row of stores, without its own dedicated parking lot, I doubt that there is a requirement for specific spots close to the PO. That being said, it would be nice if the town provided for that even if they aren't specifically required to do so.

 I think they absolutely should.

And the USPS vehicles should be required to abide by the 20 minute parking signs also.

ArchBroad said:

And the USPS vehicles should be required to abide by the 20 minute parking signs also.

Absolutely! 

^^^ except when they are making the morning mail delivery or picking up mail at the end of the day.  Then they should be able to take as much time as they need to perform their duties.  As was stated above, the real problem is that the new post office site has no dedicated parking for post office vehicles or for customers, mobility challenged or otherwise, who need to use the post office facility.  This was a known problem at the time that the new post office site was identified and the six 20 minute spaces was supposed to address that problem.  If this attempt at a solution is not working, something else may have to be tried.

If it's of any help, every Staples now provides all USPS services.  So the Millburn Mall offers a good alternative depending on time of day.

One solution would be to take away permit spaces on Lenox and make them short term parking for the Post Office.

Be careful not to park on the corner of Lenox, got a ticket for parking there.

Just to clarify, the US Govt. vehicles that were in the "20 minute" spots were just 4 Door sedans , not mail trucks.  

I am curious as to why they were not parked in the rather large, empty, striped "loading area" instead.

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