October 2019

How MACC Residents Responded to MDOT’s State-Wide Survey

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) recently released the results of their Michigan Mobility 2045 survey. Unsurprisingly, the top priority for Michigan residents is to preserve and maintain the existing transportation system and not expand it. In the MACC area, 102 people participated in the survey. In the Priority Rankings section, Transportation System Maintenance and Quality of Life tied for the top spot. When it came to budget allocation, MACC area participants ranked Pavement Repairs as number one, Passenger Rail as number two, and Bicycle and Pedestrian investments tied for third with Bridge Repairs. Click here to view the full results.

And, if you haven’t yet participated in the MACC’s 2045 survey for the Holland/Zeeland area, we’d love to get your input!

Storm Drain Stenciling

The majority of water pollution in Lake Macatawa ends up there when rain water washes it off the surface of the land and into storm drains. Storm drains are connected to a series of underground pipes that effectively and efficiently move rain water and pollution from the surface of our streets, driveways and parking lots into our lakes and streams. In order to reduce and prevent pollution, it is first important to understand this connection of the storm drain to the lake or stream. Second, it’s important to never intentionally dispose of anything in a storm drain other than rain water. One way that we try to promote this awareness is by stenciling messages by storm drains.
The MACC worked with two neighborhood groups in the City of Holland this year to stencil storm drains. On August 31, Hope College students stenciled over 100 storm drains in the 3sixty neighborhood (pictured blow) and on October 5, Engedi church members and residents stenciled over 100 storm drains in the Westcore neighborhood. The MACC has several kits that include all necessary supplies that can be borrowed by volunteer community groups. The MACC can also provide support to your stenciling activity by securing permission from the appropriate road owner and training and supervising volunteers. Contact Kelly at kgoward@the-macc.org to learn more.

Macatawa Watershed Annual Meeting