📍 CITYWIDE · FACTS CHECKED OCT. 24, 2026
Ice on the Grand River at the old swing bridge downtown, February 2013 (file photo). Photo: Eric Lanning / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped
Check the signs on your street this week. Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Sun, Nov. 1, seasonal parking rules kick in on many Grand Rapids neighborhood streets, and they apply whether or not there’s any snow.
There are two kinds. On odd-even streets, from 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. you park on the side that matches the date: on even-numbered days, stay off the odd-numbered side, and the reverse on odd days. From 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., both sides are fine unless a sign says otherwise. On same-side streets, you park on the one marked side all season, and a few of the narrowest streets have no parking at all.
It’s not just about snowplows. The city says keeping one side clear lets sweepers pick up leaves and tree debris before they clog the storm drains, which helps prevent flooded streets later in the winter. It also keeps a lane open for emergency vehicles.
The rules run until 11:59 p.m. on April 1. Park on the wrong side and you could get a $20 ticket. The city has a map of affected streets, and you can report a problem through the grcity 311 app or by calling 311.
Key facts
Starts: 12:01 a.m., Sun, Nov. 1, 2026
Ends: 11:59 p.m., Thu, April 1, 2027
Odd-even hours: 1 a.m.–6 p.m.; both sides OK 6 p.m.–1 a.m. unless signed
Fine: $20
Questions: grcity 311 app, or call 311 / 616-456-3000
Sources
Seasonal parking rules begin Sunday, Nov. 1 on many neighborhood streets (City of Grand Rapids, Oct. 19)
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