There Will Soon Be Less Free Parking in Downtown Grand Rapids

It is already a hassle paying to park in downtown Grand Rapids.

However, it has just become a tad bit worse for visitors and locals alike.

Have you heard about the new parking extension?

Street Parking Enforcement Hours Extension

The city of Grand Rapids has decided to extend the hours that they will be enforcing on-street paid parking.

Instead of the current hours of 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, the city has extended for an extra hour.

So starting next month on August 1st, you will now need pay to park for on-street parking from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday.

Why?

According to the press release, this on-street parking enforcement hours extension is to "address the growing demand for parking during evening hours, particularly in areas with high foot traffic."

This announcement was released by the City of Grand Rapids' Mobile GR Department.

The parking hours change was approved by the City Commission in the fiscal year 2025 budget.

In the press release, Jennifer Kasper, the assistant director for Mobile GR, shared, “This change aims to enhance the availability and turnover of parking spaces, supporting local businesses and ensuring that residents and visitors have better access to parking during peak evening hours.”

The City of Grand Rapids also stated that these are necessary changes to make sure it "ensure[s] the long-term sustainability of the parking system."

From now on, make sure you are paying for that extra hour if you are parking in downtown Grand Rapids.

How do you feel about these new on-street parking changes?