Think You Can’t Park Downtown? Think Again.

Downtown East Lansing is still an active construction zone and it will be for several more months. But with some minor adjustments to accommodate changes in traffic flow, drivers will find there’s still plenty of parking available for those who would like to enjoy the delights of the downtown business district.

With a little perseverance, it is usually possible to find free parking within a few blocks of downtown. And, remember, all of the municipal parking structures and lots are free on Sundays.

If a short walk doesn’t bother you and you want free parking, almost every day of the week you can quickly find space in the adjacent neighborhoods just north and west of downtown. In the Oakwood neighborhood just west of downtown, for example, there is typically parking available on Fern Street, Evergreen Avenue (north of Oakhill), Forest Street, and at the Hannah Community Center.

In the Bailey neighborhood just north of downtown, there is often free street parking available. Just watch out for signs indicating requirement of a residential parking permit. (This is one aspect of the map provided on the City’s website that is a little confusing. For instance, parking on Grove Street requires a residential permit, but north of Linden Street on M.A.C. Avenue you’ll find permit-free parking.)

For people who were used to parking in Lot 1 before the Center City construction, there are two good nearby alternatives: the Grove Street parking garage and the subterranean garage below the Marriott hotel on M.A.C. Avenue. These two garages are open and will put you pretty close to the core of the downtown shopping district. There are two additional parking garages off of Albert Avenue to the east.

If parking garages aren’t your thing, the Bailey surface lot is still available and uses the same parking ticket system as the downtown garages. It's an easy walk from there to most downtown businesses.

Many downtown merchants provide free-parking validation tickets to their customers, so don’t forget to ask the business you’re patronizing if they validate.

For shorter-duration trips, a curbside metered spot might be the best in-and-out solution. There are metered spaces surrounding Valley Court Park and also along M.A.C. Avenue downtown, as well as near Dublin Square and at City Hall.

Parking meters accept both cash and credit, and patrons can also pay with an app from a phone. One benefit of the app is the ability to add more time to your meter without returning to your car, as long as you don’t exceed the overall time limit for your parking zone.

Using the app will increase the cost of your visit, however, since there is a fee added to app transactions.

There are also, of course, non-motorized options available if you’re able to use them: walking and biking. The City has added bike parking spaces downtown, making it easier than it used to be to find handy bike parking.

Disclaimer: This reporter will be joining the downtown business community when she opens a fabric store next month in the space next to Woven Art.