The Ottawa County Road Commission is adding to its planned list of 2026 construction projects thanks to additional road funding approved by the state Legislature.
The OCRC at its October 16 meeting approved an amended budget and project list that reflects this additional revenue.
The original FY2026 OCRC budget was based on $40 million in projected revenues from the Michigan Transportation Fund.
Projections indicate that OCRC MTF revenues in FY2026 could exceed $52 million thanks to the increased revenue sources as approved by the Legislature.
Based on this additional funding, the OCRC is able to add and pull projects ahead from future years from its Strategic Improvement Plan into the 2026 construction season.
This includes 9.6 miles of additional primary road improvements, 6.6 miles of local road improvements, and 6 additional culvert replacement projects.
Of note, the OCRC was able to add projects in all of the county's 17 townships.
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 The Ottawa County Road Commission will be installing several roundabouts during the 2026 road construction season, and the public has the opportunity to learn more about them!
A public involvement open house is scheduled to take place 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, at the Olive Township Hall, 6480 136th Ave., Holland.
The meeting will go over plans for the construction of three roundabouts at the following locations:
- Lincoln Street/144th Avenue – Grand Haven and Robinson Townships
- Baldwin Street/48th Avenue – Blendon and Georgetown Townships
- Port Sheldon Street/120th Avenue – Olive Township
Opportunity to Comment
The Ottawa County Road Commission is seeking input for the construction of these roundabouts to best meet the needs of all residents, daily commuters, and businesses or property owners that will be affected by the planned intersection improvements.
Comments and input can be submitted through an online comment form by visiting http://ottawacorc.com/roundabout-feedback/.
Public comments will also be recorded at the meeting.
For more information about the meeting, visit the meeting notice website at ottawacorc.com.
The Ottawa County Road Commission is gearing up for another winter season. Our operations staff have been diligently preparing for changing weather to ensure we have the right staffing levels, well-maintained equipment, and sufficient materials to handle snow removal and de-icing.
Staffing & Crew Resources
The OCRC employs 55 full-time staff dedicated to winter maintenance, supplemented by seasonal plow drivers, operating from four maintenance garages in Coopersville, Grand Haven, Hudsonville, and North Holland.
We also contract additional crews to help maintain township subdivisions. Our dedicated team can work up to 16-hour shifts in severe weather, responding to as many as 50 winter maintenance events each season.
Plowing Priorities
Our winter maintenance follows a street priority system based on traffic volume, road classification, and location:
- State Trunklines (e.g., I-96, I-196, US-31, M-45, M-231)
- Multi-lane Primary Roads
- Primary Roads
- Local Paved Roads
- Subdivision Streets
- Local Gravel Roads
- Dead End Streets and Cul-de-sacs
Please note that it can take up to 48 hours after a snow event for our team to cover the entire road network. We ask for your patience and caution during winter weather events.
The Ottawa County Road Commission once again participated in the annual American Public Works Association Snowplow Roadeo on October 8, held this year at the Kent County Road Commission in Walker.
The OCRC had great showings this year. Notably, we had two drivers finish in the top 10 in individual scores, one in 2nd place and another in 5th place.
Additionally, in team scores, our Grand Haven and Coopersville garages finished in 3rd and 4th place. Rounding out the OCRC teams, Hudsonville finished 11 and North Holland finished 20th.
Event Highlights
The main attraction of the event each year is a competitive obstacle course designed to mimic real snow plowing operations. Drivers are timed and scored based on accuracy, safety, and speed. The course, set up with cones and barrels, tests drivers’ skills in maneuvering around parked cars, navigating curves, handling diminishing clearance, negotiating offset intersections, weaving through serpentine areas, and backing into a loading dock.
Each team, consisting of two drivers, completed the course independently, with their scores combined for a team total.
The event also includes an educational classroom component where drivers learn more about snowplowing.
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