Background
For over a decade, Ottawa County and Muskegon County’s municipalities and business communities had been working together to fund a wastewater line connecting the Coopersville area in Ottawa County to the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center wastewater treatment facility in an effort to increase the production capacity for local agricultural businesses.
While water in the city of Coopersville had reached its processing capacity, the Muskegon County facility was only utilizing around 30% of its available flow. Directing water from Coopersville to Muskegon County would promote growth for the area’s agricultural products, but the counties struggled to acquire the necessary state and federal funds to connect their facilities.
We were able to help overcome these funding challenges and collaborate with decision makers to reach an agreement that is vital in unrestricting growth for the businesses in that region.
Challenge
Because this project crossed county lines and municipal boundaries, it was important to help unite sectors of local government and organize an effort at the state level to prioritize this region and sign off on necessary funding for the solution to the problem that it was having with wastewater.
Solution
By working with MDOT, the Governor’s office and the State Legislature, we were able to secure $3 million in state funding to get the project moving and completed 2 months ahead of schedule. The Bridge is now fully functional and able to accommodate 35,000 vehicles per day, over double the capacity of the old bridge. Because of the unique public/private partnership involved, this project was recently named the American Public Works Association’s Public Works Project of the Year.
Let’s Work Together
Contact Us
