From our media partners at WOOD TV:
OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich., (WOOD) — The people behind plans to create a commuter line linking downtown Grand Rapids with the lakeshore are considering bringing on The Rapid.
The task force for the West Michigan Express have entered a memorandum with the Grand Rapids bus service.
Conversations about the project started in fall 2018. Originally, the West Michigan Express task force was looking to use existing railways along Chicago Drive with stops along the way.
“What started as discussions of a potential commuter rail have evolved a bit,” said Bill Kirk with The Rapid.
To save money, they’re now working to add a commuter bus service in the corridor instead.
“It’s just so expensive to plan for rail service,” said Kirk. “Bus service would make a lot more sense both from a planning and financial perspective. Maybe sometime in the future, (rail service) could be a possibility but right now we’re focusing on bus service.”
The current plan is not concrete. The task force is still working to narrow down where the buses would stop and how often. Despite tentative details, 14 entities including Holland, Grand Rapids and Hudsonville are on board for the possible multimillion dollar project.
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