Dear Editor:
This letter was sent to Lisette Navas in response to a letter sent to City Hall and to the Reporter:
Dear Ms. Navas:
This is to acknowledge and thank you for your letter August 27, 2000. As Mayor, I agree with your comments regarding the excessive noise caused by out-of-town party goers as they depart our city, leaving the garages on Hudson Street in a drunken rage on the weekends. Certainly, their behavior is unacceptable and disturbing to many Hoboken residents.
Currently, users pay upon exiting the garages, which causes a backup of cars waiting on line to pay, usually at the hour when bars close. This leads to cars honking their horns and a lot of screaming and yelling as people wait in line.
I have asked the Hoboken Parking Authority, which owns and operates the garages long Hudson Street, to change the system of payment for users of their garages from a “pay upon exit” policy to a “pay as you enter” policy. This would eliminate the backup of cars trying to exit the garage, as well as eliminate the noise that disturbs area residents.
Regarding police involvement, in addition to the Hoboken Police Department responding to numerous complaints from residents concerning fights, loud and lewd behavior within the general vicinity of the garage, the Parking Authority has recently hired its own security force to patrol its garages. These additional enforcement officers, who will be stationed within and around the garages, will provide a strong deterrent to the aggravating noise situations residents have experienced and should improve the situation.
DWI check points in Hoboken are established regularly along Observer Highway and at the Northern entrances to our city along Park Avenue, Willow Avenue and the 14th Street Viaduct. Although some motorists have complained about being delayed while the DWI check points are in operation, we have been very successful in ensuring that intoxicated motorists do not enter Hoboken and that drunken drivers are prevented from driving and possibly hurting themselves or others.
Please know that the City will continue to seek changes in the operation of the Hoboken Parking Authority garages that will address the noise concerns of area residents. And we will continue our efforts, with the Hoboken Police Department, to protect our residents from the hazards of drunk drivers who threaten the safety of the public.
Anthony Russo
Mayor