Grand Valley Metro Council sets 25-year West Michigan transportation plan, seeks public input

The Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) has developed a road map for the area's long-term transportation needs, outlining projects to improve transit over the next 25 years.

The GVMC created the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan to secure federal funding for everything from bike lanes to road resurfacing to bridge repair in Kent and Ottawa counties. The plan involves dozens of objectives, including ways to develop the region's non-motorized transportation network to improve user access to jobs, services and schools.

Most of the projects are those that are most critical to public safety, including street and sidewalk resurfacing initiatives and road widening projects.

Large-scale projects, like reconfiguring the intersection of I-96 and I-196 for a full range of movement, are included in the plan but won't begin until 2025.

The GVMC's Metropolitan Planning Organization is hosting a series of public open houses to gather public sentiment on the plan, with the last two scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20. An afternoon session will be held from 1 – 3 p.m. at Georgetown Township Hall in Jenison, and another from 6 – 8 p.m. at Hudsonville City Hall. The group will accept comments from residents for consideration in the plan until Jan. 30, 2011.

"We'll discuss the major features of the transportation system, offer steps and conclusions, and have time for people to give comments," says Andrea Dewey, transportation planner for GVMC, who will be joined by representatives from The Rapid and the Michigan Department of Transportation. "Anyone can come to learn and get a better idea of what is going on."

Dewey encourages public involvement and grassroots support because the transportation initiatives outlined in the plan require $26 to $33 million annually, while only about $15 million in federal funding will be provided. The plan does not factor in expansions such as additional routes for The Rapid, non-motorized projects and other initiatives that are based on competitive state funding and grants.

Source: Andrea Dewey, Grand Valley Metropolitan Council
Writer: Kelly Quintanilla