How Parking Fees are Used

Aerial view of cars parking in the North Main lot.
Baraga St viewed from the southwest corner of Front St. and Baraga Ave in Marquette.
A view down Washington St. from the zero block.

Parking fees directly support the essential services that keep Downtown Marquette safe, accessible, and well-maintained throughout the year. These funds support snow removal and the cleaning of 6.5 miles of sidewalks, the upkeep of nine downtown parking lots, and the line striping and lighting through the entire system. The downtown parking lots serve both daily visitors and those who rely on regular parking access, including local businesses, employees, and residents of the downtown district.

The double arched entrance to the Upper Bluff Ramp.
The walkway connecting the parking ramp to the top of the Bluff Street Tower.

Parking revenue also helps maintain the Bluff Street parking ramp, along with its two stair towers. Funds also go towards upkeep of the elevator in the Bluff Street stair tower and the Main Street stair tower to ensure dependable, barrier-free access of all downtown spaces for everyone.

A downtown sidewalk covered in a layer of ice after a storm.
Plowed sidewalks on the 100 block of Washington St.
Snow plowed sidewalk on Washington St.
Plowed sidewalk outside Babycakes storefront on Washington St.

Winter weather can be unpredictable and demanding. Downtown maintenance crews work hard to plow, shovel, salt, sand, and respond to rapidly changing conditions that come with heavy snow and frigid temperatures. Every dollar collected through parking fees helps sustain the infrastructure and essential services that keep downtown moving, especially during Michigan’s toughest seasons.