I have read with interest your article “Parking A Premium At LIRR Station” [Hicksville News, Nov. 19-25 edition] and subsequent articles written by commuters. As a long-time Hicksville resident, I can understand the frustration commuters have while seeking out a parking space at the Hicksville railroad station.
However, the area around the Hicksville railroad station already has combined 18+ municipal and private commuter parking lots. It seems like this is the fastest growing business in this area. Do we want downtown Hicksville to be one big parking lot?
On the other hand, some of the present available shopping parking lots are not being utilized efficiently. For example, Lot H15 at the SE corner of West Marie Street and Jerusalem Avenue has 136 time limited (2 and 4 hour) spots available—with no TOB permit required. However, due to a lack of enforcement, commuters who do not live in the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) park there while commuters who have paid for a permit are driving around looking for parking or paying up to $10 per day for private lots. The TOB has been conducting a parking study for the last three years for the downtown Hicksville area. Hopefully, upon completion of this study, the TOB will be able to create some solutions to this issue. In addition, a proposal has been submitted by Vision LI to the TOB for revitalizing the downtown Hicksville area which also addresses the parking issue. This is a complex situation but the time has come where solutions are now a necessity.
Irene Guarasci
Downtown Hicksville Revitalization Committee
