You park on Canton Street at 2:45 on a Thursday and stay until 4:45, and it costs nothing. If you park in the same space at 3:15 and stay the same two hours, the bill is $6. Since August 1, 2026, the price of a space in downtown Roswell depends far more on when you arrive than on how long you stay.
That one rule changes where the evening crowd parks. Daytime visits are cheapest at the curb. For dinner, live music, or a full Thursday night on Canton, the better spot is a block and a half west, at the city's new deck on Alpharetta Street. As of the city's latest update, the deck is free while Green Street is under construction.
The Rule That Turns On at 3 p.m.
The City of Roswell's July 30 parking update gives the first two hours free to any session that starts between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. After those two hours, and at any time outside that window, the rate is $3 an hour, up from $2, with a $24 daily maximum.
The rules cover four places:
- Canton Street between Magnolia Street and Norcross Street
- Elizabeth Way between Canton Street and Alpharetta Highway
- East Alley between Canton Street and Norcross Street
- The East Alley parking lot
The city's own rate table shows the gap clearly:
| Time parked | Session starts 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Session starts before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m. |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 hour | No charge | $3 |
| 1 to 2 hours | No charge | $6 |
| 2 to 3 hours | $3 | $9 |
| 3 to 4 hours | $6 | $12 |
| 4 to 5 hours | $9 | $15 |
| 5 to 6 hours | $12 | $18 |
| Longer stays | $15 to $24 | $24 after 6 hours |
A three-hour stay costs $3 if it starts at noon and $9 if it starts at 6 p.m. Lunch and a few errands cost little or nothing. A dinner that runs into dessert costs three times as much as the same three hours at midday.
The free window also bends at both ends. If you arrive at 7:30 a.m., you pay $3 for the time before 8 a.m., and then the next two hours are free. If you start a session at 2:59 p.m., you still get two full free hours, which carries you to about 5 p.m. A session started at 3:01 p.m. pays the full rate from the first minute.
The Free Hours Still Require a Session
The most expensive mistake has nothing to do with the hourly rate. A car in a paid space has to have an active parking session, even during the free window. If you park at 10 a.m. for twenty minutes and never start a session, you can get a $20 citation. Enforcement runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You don't need an app to start one. The signs near each space have a QR code to scan and a number you can text. You enter your plate and expected stay and then pay. There are also two kiosks, one at the corner of Canton Street and Elizabeth Way and one along East Alley. If you start on your phone, you'll get a text with a link to add time before your session runs out. If you've opted out of texts, you can scan the original QR code again or call (678) 973-0348 to extend. If you start at a kiosk, you have to walk back to the kiosk to extend.
The only spaces that skip all of this are two 30-minute, no-charge spots on Elizabeth Way, set aside for quick stops at a local business. They don't need a session. 12 Oaks Parking, LLC runs the program for the city and handles enforcement, citations, and appeals. You can reach them at (678) 973-0348.
Where Evening Parking Is Free
The 394-space deck at 1056 Alpharetta Street opened on Monday, May 4, 2026. It sits at the corner of Green Street and Alpharetta Street, also known as SR 9, and you drive in from Kevin Cash Memorial Drive.
In its July 30 update, the city said the deck would stay free "during active construction on Green Street" and that early usage data was strong. The free parking is tied to the construction. It was never announced as permanent.
Green Street has been closed to through traffic between Cherry Way and Alpharetta Street since early May. The stretch from Woodstock Road to Cherry Way is still open as a one-way southbound street. When the work is done, Green Street will run one-way southbound with a brick-paved multi-use trail, new lighting, and landscaping. According to the Roswell Ledger, the trail will connect the deck to Woodstock Park.
The city's spring plan called the closure roughly six months long and said the rebuilt street "should be open in fall 2026." The Roswell Ledger's August 10 report still said it was expected to reopen this fall, and we did not find a more specific date in our research. Until the street reopens, the city's stated policy is free deck parking alongside the evening rate at the curb.
For an evening on Canton Street, the math is simple. A four-hour visit starting at 5 p.m. costs $12 at the curb. In the deck, it was free as of the city's latest update.
The Deck Is the Center of the Downtown Plan
The deck is not a stopgap. The Ledger describes the parking deck, the Green Street trail, and the Hillrose Market mixed-use development as one downtown revitalization effort. Together they connect the deck to the Canton Street business district and Woodstock Park.
Mayor Mary Robichaux explained the reasoning when the free deck parking was announced in April: "We understand how important convenient parking is for our downtown businesses, employees, and visitors."
The next pieces are funded and moving forward. In March, council unanimously approved a $3.1 million construction contract with Winter Construction for the Green Street project. Then on August 10, council voted 3 to 2 to apply for a $3 million loan and a $1.5 million grant from the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank for a $4.75 million second phase. According to the Ledger's August 24 report, awards are expected in December 2026.
Hillrose Market, at 39 Hill St. across from Roswell City Hall, is planned to include 159 homes and 75,000 square feet of retail, dining, and office space. As of the Ledger's August 31 report, it was under construction, with no tenants announced and building openings expected in November 2027.
The on-street rates are also temporary. They belong to a parking pilot that runs through December 31, 2026. The city says the pilot is meant to gather real data on demand and usage, and that the revenue will go toward a sustainable downtown parking system. Today's 3 p.m. cutoff, the $3 rate, and the free deck all reflect the city's current approach. The pilot's data will help decide what replaces them in 2027.
Planning Around the Clock This Month
The new businesses downtown fall on both sides of the 3 p.m. line, so the rules work in your favor if you plan for them.
Before 3 p.m., the curb is the better choice. Roswell Inc's spring 2026 roundup lists Cafe Sparrow, a cafe on Canton Street, and Savory Gourmet Market, a gourmet market and deli on the same street. Coffee and a deli stop fit easily within the two free hours. The same roundup notes Bizarre Coffee's large location on Alpharetta Street and Mise En Place Cooking Studio on Atlanta Street.
After 3 p.m., the deck makes more sense. Proper Hop Taphouse on Atlanta Street has a newly renovated downstairs lounge, according to the spring roundup. Roswell Inc's summer roundup reports that Bellini Osteria Toscana celebrated its reopening after a fire earlier in the year. The same roundup notes that Social House opened an event venue in Historic Roswell and that The Back Nine brought indoor golf simulators to town.
The biggest evening of the month is Alive in Roswell, set for Thursday, October 15, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Historic Canton Street. It's free, and it's the last one of the season, since the event runs monthly from April through October. The event starts after the free window closes, so four hours at the curb costs $12. As of the city's last update, the deck was free.
One familiar downtown spot is out of the picture this fall. Riverside Park at 575 Riverside Road, sprayground included, is closed for renovation, with reopening estimated for Summer 2027. Riverside Sounds is on hold during the work. Pedestrian routes stay open, and the city says it does not expect traffic interruptions. The renovation plan adds ADA-accessible restrooms, an open-air pavilion, an improved bandstand, a nature-inspired playground, and a free sprayground.
For anyone deciding where to park for an October evening downtown, the answer is the deck at 1056 Alpharetta Street, entered from Kevin Cash Memorial Drive, for as long as Green Street stays under construction.
At Owner Makers Group, we think small decisions like this one are easier when you know the actual numbers ahead of time. We bring the same approach to bigger decisions about owning in Roswell, from financing to timing. If you'd like to talk through what downtown's changes mean for your plans, Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
