BANGOR, Maine -- Following a successful trial period during the 2024–2025 winter season, the City Council earlier this year authorized that City policy be updated to allow overnight on-street parking during the 2025-2026 winter season. 

For many years the City had prohibited overnight on-street parking during the winter to support snow removal operations by the Public Works Department. However, a change to the City’s zoning ordinance reduced the number of off-street parking spaces required for certain dwellings, prompting a review of winter parking regulations.

As a result, the updated winter parking policy now aligns with on-street parking rules in place throughout the rest of the year -- on even-numbered days, motorists must park on the side of the road with even-numbered addresses, and on odd-numbered days motorists must park on the odd side of the street. 

When a heavy snowfall occurs, Public Works is busy clearing and sanding roads, and a parking ban can be necessary to assist in that effort. Here's what is required when a parking ban is declared: 

• City-wide Parking Ban ("Snow Clearing Order"): All vehicles must be moved to off-street parking.
• Downtown Parking Management District Parking Ban: Only vehicles within the management district must be moved to off-street parking.

When a City-wide Parking Ban is declared, the following municipal lots will be available for overnight parking from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.:

• Cameron Stadium (Mt. Hope Avenue parking lot)
• Columbia Street Parking Deck (lower deck only)
• Cross Insurance Center (section of Lot C only)
• Essex Street Dog Park
• Gateway Park
• Hayford Park
• Pickering Square Parking Garage (back section of lower deck only)
• Union Street Recreation Center
• Upper Abbott Parking Lot (back section only, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., due to metered parking schedule)

Signs at the entrance to each of these lots indicate that they are available for parking during parking bans.

When Public Works needs to clear accumulated snow from areas outside the Downtown Parking Management District, a no-parking notice will be issued through the City of Bangor mass alert system. Additionally, temporary no-parking signs will be placed on the edges of the road where Public Works will be removing snow. Residents are encouraged to use the mass alert system to sign up for parking notifications and traffic alerts.

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The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.