Seaside Heights Has New Parking Payment System for 2021, Some Policies to Change

New parking kiosks installed in Seaside Heights, N.J. for the 2021 season. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Seaside Heights has completed the installation of its new automated parking system across the entire town where paid parking is required, unifying the parking payment platform of the entire borough and allowing new convenience features, such as app support, for visitors.

No new metered spaces were added as part of the project, which began last year. The streets east of Central Avenue require payment and those west of the avenue do not. But there are some new rules.

New parking kiosks installed in Seaside Heights, N.J. for the 2021 season. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

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A pair of ordinances introduced by the borough council this week raises the price of street-end parking (the small block between Ocean Terrace and the boardwalk) from $2 per hour to $3 on weekends and holidays. Businesses with parking permits, under a separate measure, will be prohibited from using those permits for purposes of “advertising that business from a vehicle or mobile trailer.” Officials said a business may only use a paid parking space if the purpose of parking there is to display an advertisement.

The new machines are the biggest addition to the borough. Under the previous system, parking spaces on the blocks closest to the ocean were metered with a numbered system and a payment kiosk. Tickets had to be displayed on a vehicle’s dashboard and drivers had to physically return to the kiosk and their vehicle in order to add more time. The new system eliminates those inconveniences.

“There are no more mechanical meters left in town,” said Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz. “Nobody will need to run back to the car anymore. You can stay right on the beach.”

New parking kiosks installed in Seaside Heights, N.J. for the 2021 season. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

The borough has outfitted all of the paid parking areas in town with kiosks that utilize the mPay “Park by Cell” app. Drivers can pay to park with cash or a card at the kiosk, but they can also utilize the app to extend their time remotely, without having to return to the kiosk of vehicle. The technology also streamlines enforcement through automation.

Paid municipal parking is enforced April 1 to Oct. 31.