GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Standing water covered a large section of Reeds Lake Boulevard near Manhattan Road Friday morning, forcing the closure of the busy roadway following heavy rain.
The flooding, which occurred at the border of East Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township, impacted both drivers and pedestrians trying to navigate the area. Nearby driveways also experienced flooding.
Andrea Hekman, who lives on the affected road, described the morning scene.
"This morning when we looked out, my husband looked and said, no one's going to be getting out of here any time soon. Don't get groceries delivered or anything like that," Hekman said.
The area serves both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, making the closure particularly disruptive.
"It's a really really busy stretch, and when you can't get through, it makes life challenging not only for the drivers but the major pedestrian traffic we have going through here," Hekman said.
According to Hekman, flooding is a recurring problem in this location.
"There's a major walking path that they've redone several times, to no avail, it continues to flood. So without any major project, I don't foresee the issues going to get resolved any time soon," she said.
Hekman hopes changes can be made to lift the pedestrian path higher off the ground. Another neighbor who spoke off camera also confirmed that the area floods frequently.
The Kent County Road Commission provided a statement about the situation: "We have closed a portion of Reeds Lake Blvd, currently from Manhattan Road southeast past Kate Avenue, due to water over the road. This situation is indicative of the current, rapidly changing weather conditions, including the amount of recent snowmelt and over one inch of rain falling over the past 24 hours. The combination of these conditions coupled with the geography of the area (low-lying near a body of water) leads to this type of issue. We will continue to monitor this situation throughout the weekend and adjust this closure as conditions warrant."
For those looking to avoid the flooded area, neighbors can use the Beltline or travel toward Hall Street from Reeds Lake Boulevard.
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