In recent discussions with the residents and some business owners to whom access to Cruz Bay is essential, many ideas to ease the dilemma of NO PARKING in Cruz Bay have been put forward.
Parking access in Cruz Bay can be helped in a variety of ways. We all know that much of Cruz Bay’s parking is swallowed up by the St. Thomas commuters who park ALL DAY while everyone else drives around in circles searching for a spot to shop, pick up visitors, visit a restaurant, pick up mail, and basically spend money in Cruz Bay. From visitors, villa renters, the most often asked question is, “Where can I park?” So, our town chokes to a virtual stop every day by 8 am each morning to the point where drivers avoid going to town.
So, here are some suggestions to consider to help ease this dilemma. Of course, it will take a coordinated effort between the VI Government, the Port Authority, and the National Park to accept the responsibility to make any of this happen.
Parking Meters in the Customs Parking Lot. This could be the credit card swipe style. Make it $5 per hour. If commuters still wish to park all day there, it will cost them. The Port Authority will certainly make more money per day than it had ever hoped for from charging at the “gravel lot.” Of course, enforcement should be covered by a “meter maid” on a golf cart. Parking tickets should well pay for a meter maid service.
The “Nature’s Lot” should be paved and designed for parking with parking meters.
The National Park could easily establish “head in” parking all along the outside of the Ball Field fence by only removing the wood stumps which are blocking this potential parking. The Park should work with the community to help ease their congestion impacts which they are responsible for as well. The National Park has always wished that visitors to the park should park in town and board a bus to visit the North Shore, this way the Park won’t have to make adequate parking at their featured sites. Again, more cars in our town. The NPS should be considerate of their impacts on our town’s parking.
The Waterfront/Ferry area needs to be improved. Not only is the congestion in this area unacceptable, it’s foolish! Why is there a need for 12 to 15 big taxis being parked all day there? There should only be 4 or 5 taxis parked there at any time, and the other taxis should wait at the “gravel lot” to be dispatched as needed. Every driver has a cell phone. Put up a tent in the gravel lot for drivers. Perhaps the taxi association could build a hut for their drivers. However, if the Port Authority wishes to keep the herd of taxis in the heart of Cruz Bay, then move them to the Creek parking lot inside the big black fence where there is plenty of parking all day. At the STT Airport, there are only enough taxis as needed. Back on the waterfront, again place parking meters at even $10/hour for the convenience of vehicles. BTW, weaning the taxi drivers out of the Gazebo would be an obvious community benefit.
Commuters and workers in Cruz Bay should park at the “gravel lot” too! There should be a taxi-shuttle that could take people from the lot to the ferry for a $1. Perhaps a shuttle at 7:30 am/8:30 am/9:30 am and from the ferry to the gravel lot at 4:30 pm/5:30 pm/6:30 pm. Who hasn’t taken a shuttle at an airport? Same service could be true in Cruz Bay for those who don’t wish to walk the few blocks of our town.
What are the advantages of this plan?
Access to our town helping Cruz Bay businesses, restaurants, shops, helping restore our town’s access for residents and visitors. Less chaos in town, less circling gridlock traffic in search of a spot to park. Ringing cash registers will mean more VI income.
The Port Authority, the VI Government, and the National Park will make more money with parking meters than ever could be gained from the failed “gravel lot” parking fees.
This way we get our town back! For the benefit of all. If all of us who need Cruz Bay parking don’t want to speak up on fixing this critical community need, then expect that the problem just won’t go away, it will only get worse.
-Steve Black is a St. John resident.
