Parking

Downtown Grand Rapids has ample inexpensive parking. To help you utilize readily available parking the Grand Rapids Parking department operates a downtown area circulator which is free; this service is known as The DASH. However the parking department does a generally lousy job of updating information concerning DASH services, routes, and schedules; users are best served consulting The RAPID which is the operator of The DASH service and provides route and scheduling information integrated with their fixed route and BRT lines. Courtesy of The RAPID DASH schedules are included in the data used by various mobile transit apps such as TransitApp.

ADVISORY: Every now and then there will be a rash of misleading click-bait headlines concerning a parking crisis in downtown Grand Rapids. Headlines like "By the numbers: Downtown Grand Rapids' 95 percent full parking system". No, we are not even close to 95% of parking capacity in downtown Grand Rapids. What they are saying, in a misleading way, is that 95% of monthly parking passes have been sold. It is difficult to acquire a monthly parking pass. If you just want to park downtown - there is no problem what-so-ever, there is ample capacity; you will readily find a parking space 24/7.

Resources

What lies behind all the fights about parking?

There is some great research and thoughts available on the true cost and impact of parking. If you care about a sustainable and livable city this is a critical issue. Suggested reading is:

News

2023? ... oh, no, yes, we are still here. There hasn't been anything on the parking front in years. Medical mile is building a truly demonic pile of new parking [executing the plan laid out in 2018], the City Commission has made no policy moves. There is some talk of rate changes, but nothing yet.