GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The city of Grand Rapids started road repair for its Vital Streets Improvement Program today.
In May, voters approved a plan to continue to pay a tax to raise $4.2 million for street repairs. The tax renewal is set to kick in July of next year.
Tia Cleveland lives on Lafayette Avenue in the Heritage Hill district.
“I think it’s awesome that they’re finally fixing all the big holes in the road. Been a lot of potholes messing up my cars," Cleveland chuckled.
She said she received a notice that construction crews would be ripping up the road between Pleasant and Wealthy Streets. It's looks like they're beginning outside of her home.
“Next, I think they need to add some speed humps, because it’s a lot of speeding through here," she said.
The stretch is scheduled for completion by August 6.
Under the Vital Streets Improvement Program, 55 sections of city streets will be targeted for repair.
You can feel the ground shake as crews work on Lafayette. not to mention living with the noise.
“You live in a big city, so you should expect some loud noise," Stephanie Hatfield, another Lafayette Avenue resident said.
Hatfield lives just outside the roadblock on the corner. Like other neighbors FOX 17 spoke with, she said the detour is worth it.
“I think I’ll just have to take a right and go through the little alley and turn around," she said.
Joe Bauman feels very differently.
“Well, I didn’t understand how they could let the roads get as bad as they let them get," he said. "Then I’m frustrated with the idea that every time they want to do anything, they go to the taxpayers for more money, and this is stuff that should have been coming out of the budget right along.”
Bauman, who has lived on Lafayette for 25 years, said the money would be better spent on another road.
“Because I know there are a lot of streets that are a lot worse in Grand Rapids than this one. Because I didn’t understand how they’re choose what roads they’re going to work on (and) when," he said.
These initial projects are to go on through the end of September, and you can find a list of locations and dates below:
