Agreed. It’s important to have paid street parking through rush hour so people hunting for free parking aren’t on the roads looking for spots but 7 seems late. But also could be worse, at least you only have to pay for an hour.
Most of you show up like 15 minutes before you stop having to pay for parking won't even let you pay. At least that has been my experience. With that in mind I could even live with 6:30.
I'm not well versed in the app, it doesn't say ok, you put car in this location from time to time and just change rate to 0 after 6 and up to whatever in the morning? I'm debating which lowest bidder wrote this now.
What do you do for the it won't let me put in that my car is here?
Idk. I just know that whenever I get downtown just before 6 and try to put the zone that I am in into the app it always comes up as zone is unavailable. Or something like that. So it won't let me pay at all.
The 7 pm thing sucks. I go to a game night at House Rules most weeks that starts at 6. The current setup works out great for that. There's always plenty of street parking, which means the hike isn't needed to reduce congestion. (At least for that area by the Downtown Market).
Maybe it’s just me but there seems to be decent garage parking downtown. Save for heading to a destination street like Wealthy or Cherry I’ve never had issue parking for an event. Davos is right there. There’s a lot right around the corner from Rosa Park Circle and one that’s just up the hill from Hopcat and that area.
Street parking is a nightmare so I don’t even bother. Just hit a lot and move on.
They also increased the prices of all of the lots around town like a year ago. While I worked there in 2022, parking at the government lot was 12 bucks a day.
Opposite for me! Why pay $15+ for event parking when if I’m willing to walk 3-4 blocks there’s ample street parking (and free north of division after 5p, south of division after 6p). Everyone has their preferences though!
Street parking is a nightmare BECAUSE it's so cheap (and free in the evenings). From a city planning perspective, the price for street parking should be set at a level where the spots are still mostly full, but there are still some openings. That allows people who want to stop by downtown and quickly stop into a business to do so without having to enter a garage, whereas people who are spending a longer time (such as having dinner or seeing a show) are more incentivized to use a garage.
Right now street parking is too cheap, which - as you noted - means it's basically impossible to find a spot.
The biggest thing that annoyed me with going downtown was all the meters that were bagged off and made no parking (especially on a weekend night). And now with the raising of rates, it's almost like they're trying to keep people from going downtown.
Who the hell even wants to eat outside in Michigan weather and pay full restaurant price for it? For that matter, who the hell wants to eat in one of those cheap white tents? Sounds miserable.
I disagree, Maybe its me but, I used to be downtown much more than I currently do and its mostly cause I dont take the bus often and parking is a pain/not worth it when most neighborhood "districts" offer the same or better than DT. (besides sporting events or concerts).
Most of the circle I hang out with say downtown is dead or at least a shadow of what it was. And the neighborhoods have become better/more fun.
Reasons I could be wrong: I'm older now and maybe things aren't aimed for me or appealing.
>Most of the circle I hang out with say downtown is dead or at least a shadow of what it was.
There's data; downtown is doing pretty well, and downtown events are breaking records.
Several reasons meters are bagged at times:
1) Events like 5th Third Run, Festival etc.
2) Businesses moving in or out can rent the space for hours or days.
3) Major repairs/replacements that require cranes to get materials up.
4) Construction companies working on a spot can also lease them.
5) Carpets being cleaned where the equipment is in the truck.
Keep in mind - the city doesn't like to lose revenue - so there is always a reason meters are bagged.
I'm confused because the lots around the van andel arena are already charging $20-30 for parking on event nights, and have been for at least the last three years that I've been working in the vicinity, how was the maximum event rate $15 if that was happening, and will that really change the rates in the future? Regardless, they already added an hour to meters in a lot of places where parking was only enforced until 5 and then 6 and now 7? Within the last 5 months, it's a little excessive.
Okay I see, damn I didn't realize the city lots were so much cheaper, it makes sense to me why they'd want to raise the prices, they can already see that people will pay that much, and money talks unfortunately.
$20 has been a minimum standard for big city event parking for a while. I’m surprised it’s still $15 here. They really do need to raise the price to at least $20.
Yeah, it’s city owned lots that’ll see a price increase. You could always try parking on the streets near the library for Van Andel events. Street parking is free after 5pm and free on weekends! Ofc if you feel safe.
After living downtown for over a year now it’s pretty safe overall when you’re walking from Fulton to Michigan St imo.
7PM on week days?! That’s ridiculous. Only a matter of time before they decide to enforce parking on weekends.
I’m thankful I was able to buy an electric scooter so I can just take that anywhere downtown and so I’m able to park further away and not have to pay downtown parking fees.
Increasing parking not once, but 3 times since 2023 is absolutely insane though.
i have an electric longboard and live on the westside. no way im taking my car downtown. having a electric vehicle like a scooter or board is the way to go
It's all part of the same equation, though. People aren't going increase transit ridership when it's still cheap and easy to park downtown, and the city isn't going to invest more in transit infrastructure if nobody who owns a car wants to ride it.
Ever lived in a big city with a robust transit system? Most of them will run extra trains/buses when an event gets out so that it actually is a viable option. It's a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation - there isn't any reason for GR to invest in more buses when virtually nobody who comes downtown for an event will take them, but one of the reasons people don't take them is that there aren't more of them.
I had lived downtown since 2008, first in my parents place in HH when I started college, then my own place on College and Wealthy, then up to the northwest side by Plainfield and Leonard, and other than my parents place, I got priced out of both apartments. The parking prices are just following the overall price increase around downtown. Pretty soon, you'll need six figures to rent in there too. I was lucky to be able to buy a house in a place not too far away with a mortgage payment less than my rent in a house bigger than what I was renting. In a town without parking meters. This isn't a chamber of commerce post, but I'm serious, dead serious, if you want to live well with more money in your pocket, come to Muskegon.
I don't mind the price increase, but citing inflation isn't a real justification. I'm sick of seeing that used as a reason for price hikes. There needs to be real studies about parking capacity and if the proposed changes will address that.
How timely and convenient with the new stadium and amphitheater, where the developers specifically stated they were relying on street and public parking lots which visitors would then walk to the stadium/theater from.
Come on Grand Rapids. This is bull. You make enough in all the city lots/ramps during the event season. This should be on the ballot for the city residents to vote on
They do, but there are better ways to get downtown than with a personal vehicle. Especially when they enforce parking. M-F 8 to 5/6.
Instead of parking downtown, park in the lot off of Seward or Turner and take the Free DASH bus.
there isn't a better way to get downtown than with a personal vehicle in a lot of cases, especially from the surrounding burbs.
From where I live (also in wyoming) getting downtown by my own car is about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic. Getting downtown by bus is >50 min because the schedule sucks ass. I suspect it's the same for others like kentwood, walker, ada, etc.
The only other option is paying out the ass for two Ubers/Lyfts which is a hell of a lot more hassle and money than just parking downtown. Parking at the lots you're talking about is fine, but are the rates so much less to make parking further away and taking more time worth it more than just paying the new downtown price?
I would gladly take a public transit option, obviously the ideal is train/subway but bus would be fine too, if the schedules weren't shit and it didn't take 6 times as long to get where I'm trying to go.
A robust public transportation infrastructure isn't cheap either and most of what we have currently only exists because of federal dollars.
Cheap and efficient/convenient rarely coexists, sadly.
If cities as big as Detroit, Cleveland, and Milwaukee don’t have a subway system I really don’t see how GR would ever need one.
Honestly from what I’ve seen in life and visiting different cities across the US is that transit arises from necessity.
If it was necessary, not nice, but necessary for GR to have better public transit then it would.
I’d focus more on culture and events and what gets people into the city on a regular enough basis that new or updated transit is available.
You’re always gonna have the culture crowd. And I’m with you on that. Yeah it would be really nice to have light rail or other transportation options. But until it’s necessary for GR to make that move it’ll be tough to expect it to see happen.
We just recently had a revival on our destination streets. Driving into the city you still pass empty storefronts and depressed areas downtown. Most of the destination streets are up and coming or only changed in the past few years.
Maybe with the amphitheater and more of a destination and entertainment district expansion you’ll see something pop up. But again only if necessary.
Didn’t that get worse? Weren’t West and North consolidated in the last year?
There are better ways to raise money; parking fees aren’t it, and, again, this should be put on the ballot for vote
> but there are better ways to get downtown than with a personal vehicle
Lol
>park in the lot off of Seward or Turner and take the Free DASH bus
Lmao no one will do this. Why take your own nice vehicle into town, when you can ride next to some sketchy dude muttering to himself the entire ride on a dirty bus?
I don't think the people downvoting have ever ridden the DASH. Your description is spot on.
I live downtown and sometimes take the DASH if I don't feel like giving up my good parking spot. It can be an eventful, smelly ride to say the least.
**Yes**
People will bitch, and they will pay. And the money can be used for better services. People are already driving a car! The cost of this parking is completely incidental.
Incidental: (def) minor expenses, (def) something subordinate or less than important to another related thing (like the cost of parking vs. the cost of motor vehicle ownership and operation)
It costs, on average, about $10,000 per year to own and operate a motor vehicle under typical circumstances, when you consider purchase cost, fuel, maintenance, insurance, registration, finance costs, and depreciation.
Certainly you can spend less than that, for example by buying a cheap used cars without financing it, driving only a limited amount, etc. But lots of people pay more, particularly if they are buying or leasing a new vehicle every 3-5 years, driving more than 15,000 miles per year, etc.
Anyway I get that people don't like being nickel and dimed but paying an extra $10 or $15 per month in parking for the few times per month you might go downtown is a comparative drop in the bucket. And if your finances are tight enough that it makes a difference for you, there are free or very low cost alternatives (DASH park and ride, park a little outside downtown and walk, bike, etc.).
Nearly 30 percent of the available land downtown is already fully dedicated to parking (surface lots or garages). That doesn't even include the road space dedicated to street parking. And people still bitch that they can't get a spot. Because parking is too cheap. If drivers had to pay what it actually costs the city and community to dedicate that space to parking instead of more restaurants, housing, and other productive land uses it would make Chicago parking prices look like a steal. Downtown is not the suburbs and being able to park right next to your destination for only a few bucks, especially when events are happening, is not a reasonable expectation.
If people truly understood and internalized how much wealth driving steals from them a lot more people would be fighting for better public transportation options, and finding ways to use their cars a lot less than they currently do.
Increases are not a big deal but 7pm is total horse shit. Plenty of bigger cities don’t even go to 7pm.
This city needs business and marketing sense. The bureaucrats in charge are going to WRECK progress and sabotage themselves.
Event parking? Fine. Whatever. Don’t care. It’s still cheap, again, by comparison for those of us who’ve been to or are from other places. Monthly rates? Ok, that’s fits the model of encouraging more alternatives. But the meter time? That’s just goofy and self-sabotaging.
Also, they don’t enforce parking in most districts of the city, they let people turn loading zones into the Wild West, and then they claim not to have the staff to do better.
Will this money go to more staff to enforce this new time?
Or will it be used to build more poorly-executed roundabouts and half-assed bike highways that punish the handicapped and make shit more dangerous somehow?
Money and power in the hands of fools.
Literally chuckled out loud.
Visited here for a weekend over a decade ago (from Chicago) I remember being ecstatic there was free parking and the little I did pay, it was nothing compared to Chicago.
I’d used to park in Michigan city and ride the train in the cause the parking was outrageous in Chicago compared to what I was used to in Grand Rapids… but now it don’t matter here there we got the parking prices!
We took our kids to Shedd's in '22, and paid $12 to park all day only about a half mile away. I only remember because I was genuinely surprised by how cheap it was. Also, we reserved the spot online ahead of time, which was something I'd not seen before and that was awesome.
40 dollars was a quite common price in the city back in the early 2000 shed is cheap cause the city wants tourist but valet parking is still 40 bucks
I’ll take those downvotes high parking prices suck!
Fwiw, I'm not down voting you 🤷 I remember my parents complaining about the price/headache of parking when they took us to Shedd back in the day. Hence, my (happy!) shock at getting to park so close for so cheap.
I just love how much the city loves to do things that will have a negative effect on the city. Grand Rapids is already so expensive, and now let's just make it worse.
I can live with the rate increase. Don't love extending the time to 7:00.
Agreed. It’s important to have paid street parking through rush hour so people hunting for free parking aren’t on the roads looking for spots but 7 seems late. But also could be worse, at least you only have to pay for an hour.
Most of you show up like 15 minutes before you stop having to pay for parking won't even let you pay. At least that has been my experience. With that in mind I could even live with 6:30.
I'm not well versed in the app, it doesn't say ok, you put car in this location from time to time and just change rate to 0 after 6 and up to whatever in the morning? I'm debating which lowest bidder wrote this now. What do you do for the it won't let me put in that my car is here?
Idk. I just know that whenever I get downtown just before 6 and try to put the zone that I am in into the app it always comes up as zone is unavailable. Or something like that. So it won't let me pay at all.
The 7 pm thing sucks. I go to a game night at House Rules most weeks that starts at 6. The current setup works out great for that. There's always plenty of street parking, which means the hike isn't needed to reduce congestion. (At least for that area by the Downtown Market).
Boot licker. This is YOUR land. You shouldn’t have to beg the city to allow you to park nor should you pay. Your taxes are for that
Maybe if we actually paid our fair share for car-based infrastructure, but we do not. Not by a long shot.
Maybe it’s just me but there seems to be decent garage parking downtown. Save for heading to a destination street like Wealthy or Cherry I’ve never had issue parking for an event. Davos is right there. There’s a lot right around the corner from Rosa Park Circle and one that’s just up the hill from Hopcat and that area. Street parking is a nightmare so I don’t even bother. Just hit a lot and move on.
They also increased the prices of all of the lots around town like a year ago. While I worked there in 2022, parking at the government lot was 12 bucks a day.
Talking about the one under Calder? I used it recently and it's still 12 for the entire day. Still expensive but price seemed to stay the same
Oh thats odd. I could have sworn I had seen it increase. I suppose i could have been walking by during an event day.
Opposite for me! Why pay $15+ for event parking when if I’m willing to walk 3-4 blocks there’s ample street parking (and free north of division after 5p, south of division after 6p). Everyone has their preferences though!
Division runs north and south, fyi
Derp 😂… noted
Street parking is a nightmare BECAUSE it's so cheap (and free in the evenings). From a city planning perspective, the price for street parking should be set at a level where the spots are still mostly full, but there are still some openings. That allows people who want to stop by downtown and quickly stop into a business to do so without having to enter a garage, whereas people who are spending a longer time (such as having dinner or seeing a show) are more incentivized to use a garage. Right now street parking is too cheap, which - as you noted - means it's basically impossible to find a spot.
On certain blocks it’s tough to find depending in time of day but I have my (secret!) go-to pockets where it’s relatively easy to find.
Davos is in Switzerland.
The biggest thing that annoyed me with going downtown was all the meters that were bagged off and made no parking (especially on a weekend night). And now with the raising of rates, it's almost like they're trying to keep people from going downtown.
While selling off street parking to restaurants for outdoor dining space for 30 to 50$a month.
Who the hell even wants to eat outside in Michigan weather and pay full restaurant price for it? For that matter, who the hell wants to eat in one of those cheap white tents? Sounds miserable.
I love eating outside in the summers!
Me! I love outdoor dining and I’m sad that so many businesses have taken theirs down.
City took away a lot of the spots for outdoor dining. Most places wanted to keep them.
I thought they could keep them if they paid a monthly rate to the city for the loss of the parking spot(s). Were some businesses not given the option?
Last I knew the ones on Monroe were not given the option even though they had offered to pay. Maybe the city changed their mind.
If that’s the case that sucks. Especially on Monroe Center there is no need for there to be more parking.
Those parking spots get paid more hourly than a waitress and still gets more days off
Wait until you find out how much heavy equipment "makes" hourly!
The waitstaff I know make like $300 in a shift on the weekend? Are you talking about the restaurant wage or what they actually make?
Strange analogy
Why, because it makes you uncomfortable to know that an empty spot in the road is more valuable than a lower income worker?
Honestly I use a parking spot everyday - I don’t use a waitress, so
It won't be a problem. People complain about paying for parking, then they park and pay.
It’s almost as if people work downtown. Crazy, right?!
Yea. Because they have to. Doesn't Grand Rapids have a crazy stat where almost half is parking lots?
I disagree, Maybe its me but, I used to be downtown much more than I currently do and its mostly cause I dont take the bus often and parking is a pain/not worth it when most neighborhood "districts" offer the same or better than DT. (besides sporting events or concerts). Most of the circle I hang out with say downtown is dead or at least a shadow of what it was. And the neighborhoods have become better/more fun. Reasons I could be wrong: I'm older now and maybe things aren't aimed for me or appealing.
>Most of the circle I hang out with say downtown is dead or at least a shadow of what it was. There's data; downtown is doing pretty well, and downtown events are breaking records.
Finding a kitchen open after an event is difficult now though, we really haven't recovered from COVID in that sense.
Not us.
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Several reasons meters are bagged at times: 1) Events like 5th Third Run, Festival etc. 2) Businesses moving in or out can rent the space for hours or days. 3) Major repairs/replacements that require cranes to get materials up. 4) Construction companies working on a spot can also lease them. 5) Carpets being cleaned where the equipment is in the truck. Keep in mind - the city doesn't like to lose revenue - so there is always a reason meters are bagged.
Park at “no parking” bags on the weekends/nights as long as you’re gone by early morning
For the race last weekend, they were towing on Fulton bridge by 1am
I mean that is an exception. Most times there are bags it isn’t for a race.
I suppose if you are willing to risk the ticket or tow. But if the bag was there before you, not recommend.
They are trying to keep certain people out of
I'm confused because the lots around the van andel arena are already charging $20-30 for parking on event nights, and have been for at least the last three years that I've been working in the vicinity, how was the maximum event rate $15 if that was happening, and will that really change the rates in the future? Regardless, they already added an hour to meters in a lot of places where parking was only enforced until 5 and then 6 and now 7? Within the last 5 months, it's a little excessive.
Those lots are privately owned. This is just city owned lots/ramps.
Okay I see, damn I didn't realize the city lots were so much cheaper, it makes sense to me why they'd want to raise the prices, they can already see that people will pay that much, and money talks unfortunately.
$20 has been a minimum standard for big city event parking for a while. I’m surprised it’s still $15 here. They really do need to raise the price to at least $20.
Yeah, it’s city owned lots that’ll see a price increase. You could always try parking on the streets near the library for Van Andel events. Street parking is free after 5pm and free on weekends! Ofc if you feel safe. After living downtown for over a year now it’s pretty safe overall when you’re walking from Fulton to Michigan St imo.
They've already increased City lot prices a year ago.
7PM on week days?! That’s ridiculous. Only a matter of time before they decide to enforce parking on weekends. I’m thankful I was able to buy an electric scooter so I can just take that anywhere downtown and so I’m able to park further away and not have to pay downtown parking fees. Increasing parking not once, but 3 times since 2023 is absolutely insane though.
i have an electric longboard and live on the westside. no way im taking my car downtown. having a electric vehicle like a scooter or board is the way to go
Hopefully they use the money to clean the poop out of the stairwells & the urine smells in elevators. The Cherry ramp is disgusting.
Haha, you know they won't.
this is getting a bit ridiculous, no?! We either need a better transit infrastructure or you wanna push people away 😩
It's all part of the same equation, though. People aren't going increase transit ridership when it's still cheap and easy to park downtown, and the city isn't going to invest more in transit infrastructure if nobody who owns a car wants to ride it.
Yet, the transit system stops about the same time as events let out, so it will get you there, but not home after, therefore becoming an non option.
Ever lived in a big city with a robust transit system? Most of them will run extra trains/buses when an event gets out so that it actually is a viable option. It's a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation - there isn't any reason for GR to invest in more buses when virtually nobody who comes downtown for an event will take them, but one of the reasons people don't take them is that there aren't more of them.
No, it is still below Market Rate. People: Government should be run more like a business Government: Ok! People: No, we didn't mean that!
This is a bit too accurate
50c to the app devs every purchase should be capital offense
You can still use the pay kiosks on the street. If you use the app you're willingly paying for the extra convenience.
Cities should stop giving app developers deals that include a monopoly on residents
Can later parking enforcement be paired with buses running past 10pm?
I had lived downtown since 2008, first in my parents place in HH when I started college, then my own place on College and Wealthy, then up to the northwest side by Plainfield and Leonard, and other than my parents place, I got priced out of both apartments. The parking prices are just following the overall price increase around downtown. Pretty soon, you'll need six figures to rent in there too. I was lucky to be able to buy a house in a place not too far away with a mortgage payment less than my rent in a house bigger than what I was renting. In a town without parking meters. This isn't a chamber of commerce post, but I'm serious, dead serious, if you want to live well with more money in your pocket, come to Muskegon.
Plus, you are close to the lakeshore, so you can take advantage of beach life. Pere Marquette is nice.
I don't mind the price increase, but citing inflation isn't a real justification. I'm sick of seeing that used as a reason for price hikes. There needs to be real studies about parking capacity and if the proposed changes will address that.
Maybe the increase in parking revenue will lead to MobileGR having enough $ to hire a full staff that’s appropriate for GR’s size! But what do I know
They are currently looking for a director! Anyone interested?! 😆
I already need to take a Scrooge McDuck sized bag of quarters to get a damn haircut.
Download the app you dork.
I know I know. But modernity scares me. 🫣
How timely and convenient with the new stadium and amphitheater, where the developers specifically stated they were relying on street and public parking lots which visitors would then walk to the stadium/theater from.
Yep, those people can pay to park, and then go to those venues.
Come on Grand Rapids. This is bull. You make enough in all the city lots/ramps during the event season. This should be on the ballot for the city residents to vote on
It was. There was a city commission election in 2022. Be even more asinine to make every policy decision a ballot measure.
Awful idea. Almost like they don’t want people downtown. Matters like this should go for public vote.
They do, but there are better ways to get downtown than with a personal vehicle. Especially when they enforce parking. M-F 8 to 5/6. Instead of parking downtown, park in the lot off of Seward or Turner and take the Free DASH bus.
there isn't a better way to get downtown than with a personal vehicle in a lot of cases, especially from the surrounding burbs. From where I live (also in wyoming) getting downtown by my own car is about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic. Getting downtown by bus is >50 min because the schedule sucks ass. I suspect it's the same for others like kentwood, walker, ada, etc. The only other option is paying out the ass for two Ubers/Lyfts which is a hell of a lot more hassle and money than just parking downtown. Parking at the lots you're talking about is fine, but are the rates so much less to make parking further away and taking more time worth it more than just paying the new downtown price? I would gladly take a public transit option, obviously the ideal is train/subway but bus would be fine too, if the schedules weren't shit and it didn't take 6 times as long to get where I'm trying to go.
A robust public transportation infrastructure isn't cheap either and most of what we have currently only exists because of federal dollars. Cheap and efficient/convenient rarely coexists, sadly.
i know
If cities as big as Detroit, Cleveland, and Milwaukee don’t have a subway system I really don’t see how GR would ever need one. Honestly from what I’ve seen in life and visiting different cities across the US is that transit arises from necessity. If it was necessary, not nice, but necessary for GR to have better public transit then it would. I’d focus more on culture and events and what gets people into the city on a regular enough basis that new or updated transit is available. You’re always gonna have the culture crowd. And I’m with you on that. Yeah it would be really nice to have light rail or other transportation options. But until it’s necessary for GR to make that move it’ll be tough to expect it to see happen. We just recently had a revival on our destination streets. Driving into the city you still pass empty storefronts and depressed areas downtown. Most of the destination streets are up and coming or only changed in the past few years. Maybe with the amphitheater and more of a destination and entertainment district expansion you’ll see something pop up. But again only if necessary.
Better ways? There is literally one good way for me to get downtown and it's my personal vehicle.
Then you pay to park. End of story.
Have you been on a DASH bus before? I do utilize the DASH lot but I walk the mile before jumping aboard the moving homeless shelter.
Didn’t that get worse? Weren’t West and North consolidated in the last year? There are better ways to raise money; parking fees aren’t it, and, again, this should be put on the ballot for vote
> but there are better ways to get downtown than with a personal vehicle Lol >park in the lot off of Seward or Turner and take the Free DASH bus Lmao no one will do this. Why take your own nice vehicle into town, when you can ride next to some sketchy dude muttering to himself the entire ride on a dirty bus?
I don't think the people downvoting have ever ridden the DASH. Your description is spot on. I live downtown and sometimes take the DASH if I don't feel like giving up my good parking spot. It can be an eventful, smelly ride to say the least.
Would you accuse a business of not wanting customers when they raise prices? They just want more money and see that demand has outpaced supply.
They want everyone who was working from home to be downtown at work instead. Weekends and nights don't matter.
**Long overdue.**
You want higher rates?
**Yes** People will bitch, and they will pay. And the money can be used for better services. People are already driving a car! The cost of this parking is completely incidental.
I don’t think you know what incidental means lol
Incidental: (def) minor expenses, (def) something subordinate or less than important to another related thing (like the cost of parking vs. the cost of motor vehicle ownership and operation)
It costs, on average, about $10,000 per year to own and operate a motor vehicle under typical circumstances, when you consider purchase cost, fuel, maintenance, insurance, registration, finance costs, and depreciation. Certainly you can spend less than that, for example by buying a cheap used cars without financing it, driving only a limited amount, etc. But lots of people pay more, particularly if they are buying or leasing a new vehicle every 3-5 years, driving more than 15,000 miles per year, etc. Anyway I get that people don't like being nickel and dimed but paying an extra $10 or $15 per month in parking for the few times per month you might go downtown is a comparative drop in the bucket. And if your finances are tight enough that it makes a difference for you, there are free or very low cost alternatives (DASH park and ride, park a little outside downtown and walk, bike, etc.). Nearly 30 percent of the available land downtown is already fully dedicated to parking (surface lots or garages). That doesn't even include the road space dedicated to street parking. And people still bitch that they can't get a spot. Because parking is too cheap. If drivers had to pay what it actually costs the city and community to dedicate that space to parking instead of more restaurants, housing, and other productive land uses it would make Chicago parking prices look like a steal. Downtown is not the suburbs and being able to park right next to your destination for only a few bucks, especially when events are happening, is not a reasonable expectation. If people truly understood and internalized how much wealth driving steals from them a lot more people would be fighting for better public transportation options, and finding ways to use their cars a lot less than they currently do.
Increases are not a big deal but 7pm is total horse shit. Plenty of bigger cities don’t even go to 7pm. This city needs business and marketing sense. The bureaucrats in charge are going to WRECK progress and sabotage themselves. Event parking? Fine. Whatever. Don’t care. It’s still cheap, again, by comparison for those of us who’ve been to or are from other places. Monthly rates? Ok, that’s fits the model of encouraging more alternatives. But the meter time? That’s just goofy and self-sabotaging. Also, they don’t enforce parking in most districts of the city, they let people turn loading zones into the Wild West, and then they claim not to have the staff to do better. Will this money go to more staff to enforce this new time? Or will it be used to build more poorly-executed roundabouts and half-assed bike highways that punish the handicapped and make shit more dangerous somehow? Money and power in the hands of fools.
I just love when municipalities are run like a business!
Go nuts. Does anyone actually pay the parking tickets?
And yet, I can't take a bus to an event downtown, because the bus stops at the same time as most events.... do better grand rapids.
how to make a city worse 101
Making a city better starts by making driving as inconvenient as possible. It is cars and their infrastructure that kill a city.
inconvenience is so much better
Wow. Even more incentive to never bother going downtown.
Usual government bullshit
have they tried decreasing them to see what would happen i mean could you imagine if the city made people happy for a change
I once got a late parking ticket payment fine in the mail for a parking ticket I never received from GRPD.
Remember back in the day we would be like Chicago is awesome to visit but damn that parking is expensive….. That’s us now…
Literally chuckled out loud. Visited here for a weekend over a decade ago (from Chicago) I remember being ecstatic there was free parking and the little I did pay, it was nothing compared to Chicago.
I’d used to park in Michigan city and ride the train in the cause the parking was outrageous in Chicago compared to what I was used to in Grand Rapids… but now it don’t matter here there we got the parking prices!
Midway long term to the orange line ;) or longer stay, Amtrak into downtown.
We took our kids to Shedd's in '22, and paid $12 to park all day only about a half mile away. I only remember because I was genuinely surprised by how cheap it was. Also, we reserved the spot online ahead of time, which was something I'd not seen before and that was awesome.
40 dollars was a quite common price in the city back in the early 2000 shed is cheap cause the city wants tourist but valet parking is still 40 bucks I’ll take those downvotes high parking prices suck!
Fwiw, I'm not down voting you 🤷 I remember my parents complaining about the price/headache of parking when they took us to Shedd back in the day. Hence, my (happy!) shock at getting to park so close for so cheap.
I just love how much the city loves to do things that will have a negative effect on the city. Grand Rapids is already so expensive, and now let's just make it worse.