The West Windsor Parking Authority presented plans on Feb. 19 to convert the former municipal bus garage at the corner of Wallace Road and Princeton Heights Road into a 41-space commuter parking lot and an adjoining pocket park. Jeffrey Hall, the applicant’s conflict counsel, told the board the proposal is a courtesy review under Chapter 31 of the Municipal Land Use Law.

"The parking authority is proposing a project that will construct 41 parking spaces, and also a pocket park at the corner of Wallace Road and Princeton Heights Road," project engineer Rhys Nordine said during his presentation. The pocket park is planned to include a covered seating area, picnic tables, bicycle lockers and landscaping intended to screen an adjacent electrical substation.

Andy Lupo, chair of the Parking Authority, said the authority has previously remediated a contaminated site and is pursuing similar remediation with Amtrak for this parcel. He framed the project as adding commuter parking to support growth near the train station and to provide a community gathering space on weekends.

Applicant testimony noted the site meets the redevelopment plan and bulk zoning standards and that both Mercer County and the New Jersey Department of Transportation provided letters of no interest for the Wallace Road entrances. Nordine said two grants are pending: a transit-village grant to support the pocket-park portion and a Safe Streets to Transit grant intended to help fund sidewalks and crosswalk improvements between the site and the train station.

Board members questioned operational details, including Amtrak access, reserve parking and circulation. The applicant said Amtrak would continue to park its vehicles on Amtrak property and described a proposed secure fence and gate to limit access. The applicant also said driveway geometry and on-site circulation include arrows and a longer exit aisle to permit stacking if Wallace Road backs up during rush hour.

The board extensively discussed active-transportation amenities. Members asked why bicycle lockers were proposed at the pocket park rather than relying on lockers or racks at the Princeton Junction train station. The applicant noted approximately 40 lockers currently exist at the station and said the decision to add parking-area lockers would depend on utilization data. On electric vehicle accommodations, the applicant said two spaces will be "make-ready" (prewired) but will not include chargers at the time of construction.

Staff and board professionals raised typical technical items. Planning/landscape staff confirmed most landscape comments were addressed and suggested clarifying signage and confirming a wayfinding sign style consistent with other parking authority lots. The township traffic reviewer flagged minor plan labeling and curb-ramp details to meet NJDOT/MUTCD standards. A fire-department memo read into the record stated emergency-vehicle access is adequate and the fire division had "no objection."

What happens next: this was a courtesy review only; no board vote was taken. Applicant representatives said they will address the professionals’ remaining technical comments and proceed to building-permit level design and grant awards, if received.