Back-In Parking

As part of the new system, a small number of parking spaces located on S Washington Avenue and W Seventh Street will be designated as back-in angle parking.

Back-in angle parking uses the same process and motions as parallel parking but is much easier and safer. And the spaces are wider, too! It provides motorists with better vision of bicyclists, pedestrians, and other cars as they exit a parking space and enter the roadway. In addition, back-in angle parking allows safer access to trunk space and allows passengers to enter and exit a vehicle safely.

Of course, you don’t have to use the back-in angle parking spaces. The downtown decks are clean, spacious, and well lit. Best of all, your first two hours are always free whenever you park in one of the city’s four public parking structures. You may also prefer to park in a surface lot or in any number of traditional on-street parking spaces located throughout the downtown area.

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Practice

5 Ways to AVOID GETTING a Ticket in Royal Oak

1. Know Your Limits: All on-street parking spaces have a 3-hour max limit and all surface lots have a 4-hour max limit. (There are no max limits in the parking structures.) Limits are strictly enforced with cameras. If you stay longer than the max limit YOU WILL GET A TICKET -- so please don't do that. You will NOT be able to pay for or add more time. YOU MUST MOVE YOUR CAR. 
2. True Up: When you see your meter is expired, true up -- that is,  pay for any 'expired' time before you drive off and you will not get a ticket so long as you have not exceeded the limits. (See bullet No. 1.) No longer do you need to race back to your meter. Whether your meter expired 5 minutes ago or 20 minutes ago, you can pay at the pay station for any unpaid time you used. No other parking meter allows you to do that
3. Use the App: The Sentry Mobile navigation app interacts with Royal Oak's parking meters in real time. The app allows you to pay in advance for parking so you can pull into a space and and not have to worry about coins, credit cards or getting tickets. The app will monitor your parking session and pay for just the amount of time you use. The app can remind you about parking limits with real-time notifications.  You can even assign more than one plate using the app so if you want to be nice to your loved ones, put their plates in the app, too, and spread the joy touchless carefree parking.
   
4. Park in a Structure: You'll never get a parking ticket when you park in one of Royal Oak's four conveniently-located public parking structures. What's even better is the first two hours are ALWAYS free in the structures and it's just $0.75 cents an hour after that. Learn all your parking options and locations.
5. Visit on Sundays: Parking is free all day in Downtown Royal Oak on Sundays and holidays. Watch the big game at your favorite bar or take Granny to brunch. You'll be glad you did (and she's going to love it!)