Environment

A landfill is born

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By MARTE SKAARA
Capital News Service
LANSING — Tiny fields, some trees and a road – that’s how this piece of land the southwest corner of Kent County, about 13 miles from Grand Rapids, looked in 1939. In the ’60s and ’70s the fields grew. Then – in 1982 a landfill was born. The South Kent Landfill is one of Michigan’s 48 active landfills for solid consumer waste. In 2013 almost 700,000 cubic yards of ash and trash were added to the pile.

Transportation & Roads

West Michigan bridge project on track — if there's enough money

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By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – The Department of Transportation (MDOT) anticipates less traffic congestion when the M-231 bridge, forecasted to be the sixth-longest bridge in Michigan, is done in three years. The bridge will measure about 3,700 feet long and 47 feet high, MDOT said. After construction, M-231 will stretch 7 miles and connect M-45 (Lake Michigan Drive) to I-96 and M-104. MDOT Director Kirk Steudle said, “Just the crossing of the Grand River will be huge from a mobility standpoint.”
Steudle said there are currently 20 crossings of the Grand River in Kent County. MDOT Grand Region communications representative John Richard said it will be the fourth Grand River crossing in Ottawa County.