Eastern Ottawa needs public transportation. Since September 2008, Disability Network/Lakeshore has been conducting a study to increase awareness of and support for public transportation in Eastern Ottawa County. This region includes Allendale, Blendon, Georgetown/Jenison, Jamestown Township, and the City of Hudsonville, and it remains the only urban core left in West Michigan without its own public transportation system. This community is the missing link in our transportation network. Watch our educational video to learn more!
Watch the Video. Click on the image below then click the play button.
Transit means more for everyone. Community. Independence. Freedom. Opportunity. Choice. Connection. Those are just some of the many benefits that a public transportation system could bring to Eastern Ottawa County. Whether you’re a businessperson, a student, a person with a disability, a senior, or an elected official, public transportation means more for everyone. The benefits include increased employment options for adults, more access to medical care for seniors, and more participation in after-school activities by students. The community recognizes this need for public transit. In fact 75% of people we surveyed support public transportation in Eastern Ottawa County.
“Public transportation will provide opportunities. It would provide growth to a community. It provides a lot of options to the citizens of that community, and I think overall, it will be a stimulant to future growth…for every dollar spent, you’re going to get several dollars back.”
– Don Van Doeselaar Mayor, City of Hudsonville
There is already one existing public transportation system in Eastern Ottawa County, The Rapid. Every day more than 16,000 students ride The Rapid bus to the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) campus in Allendale, totaling more than 2 million rides each year. But the GVSU transit line is just one small step towards a complete transportation system to serve all of Eastern Ottawa County, linking the community to the greater West Michigan area.
“If we’re going to keep young people in the State of Michigan, we’re going to have to provide the amenities that matter to them. And bus transportation clearly is an amenity that matters to them.”
– Jim Bachmeier, Vice President of Finance and Administration, GVSU
