A dozen new metered parking spaces were created along West Front Street this week, the result of efforts by retailers who complained about inadequate parking near their businesses and decided to do something about it, according to Tricia Rumola, Executive Director of RiverCenter.

For all the talk about underutilized parking lots east of Broad Street, shoppers on the west side, like those everywhere, want to park nearest their destinations, says Rumola.

“Customers are all about convenience, and you can’t change that mindset,” Rumola says, “and RiverCenter is all about customer service.”

Working with architect Stephen Raciti of Linden Place, the visual improvement committee of RiverCenter measured out the existing spaces and came up with a plan to realign them so as to create more. The committee also suggested adding spaces where parking had been prohibited on the north side of West Front, near Broad.

The plan was tweaked for safety reasons after discussions with the police department, and eventually approved by the Borough Council and Monmouth County officials, says Rumola.

The changes also entailed relocating a NJTransit bus stop a few doors west from its prior location outisde a vacant store formerly occupied by Love Lane Tuxedos.

Two other metered spots were also created in a former loading zone on Linden Place.

RiverCenter is the coordinating agency of the special improvement district downtown.

E-mail this story