I spotted an abandoned gas station today while traveling around New Jersey, and it made me think, "How many abandoned gas stations are there in New Jersey?"

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After researching the question, I discovered there is no documented answer, but it seems the answer, off the record, is probably hundreds of "dark" gas stations are located around New Jersey, so that's a fair amount around our 21 counties.

Why Are There So Many Abandoned Gas Stations in New Jersey?

A big part of it comes down to age. New Jersey has been packed with cars forever, and a lot of these stations were built decades ago when smaller, family-run spots were on just about every corner. Over the years, the bigger chains moved in, land got more valuable, and those little stations just couldn’t keep up.

In addition, cleaning the abandoned gas stations isn’t cheap, and in many cases, it costs more than the land is worth. So instead of rebuilding, owners just walk away, and the property sits… sometimes for years.

Also, driving habits have changed, too. You don’t need a gas station every few blocks as you did back in the day. Bigger, modern stations and convenience stores have taken over, leaving the older ones behind. So the need is less, but we still have the "ghost stations."

So the question now turns to us to debate. What can we do? Obviously, the owners of the lots are still in charge, but should the state step in and "make a deal"? What would a deal even be?

What if the property is auctioned off if it sits for X amount of time? Someone could get a great deal, clean it up, and do what they want. They could even resell to a business that wants a clean and usable location?

What if, after X amount of time, the state takes ownership and must clean the lot and make it a playground for neighborhood kids to use? Or it's turned into a dog park?

What do you think? Go......