Parking overnight in west Michigan? Watch the winter street rules

Where you can leave your car on the street overnight isn’t a statewide rule in Michigan — each city sets its own, and west Michigan’s two biggest cities do it differently. In Grand Rapids, “odd-even” seasonal parking runs from November 1 through April 1: on odd-numbered dates you park on the odd-address side of the street, on even dates the even side, between 1 a.m. and 6 p.m. — so overnight you need to be on the side that matches the next day’s date by 1 a.m. It’s enforced even when there’s no snow (it also clears the way for fall leaf sweeping), and the ticket is small but easy to rack up. Some narrow streets allow parking on only one side, or none at all. In Kalamazoo, the rule is simpler but stricter: by city ordinance, you generally can’t park on a city street between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. at all, unless you have a permit or you’re on a block that’s marked as an exception. The reason is the same in both places — keeping streets clear for snowplows and emergency vehicles. The takeaway if you’re moving here: before you count on overnight street parking, check your specific city’s rules (and watch for posted signs), because a driveway or off-street spot can save you a stack of tickets each winter.