ALLENDALE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The constant freeze and thaw cycle is creating bumpy roads across West Michigan and particularly in Allendale, where neighbors have taken to social media to ask why the roads are so bad and what they can do to get them fixed.
WATCH: Allendale residents frustrated with bumpy roads seek solutions
There are just under 100 miles of road in Allendale Township, with about 23 of those miles being unpaved roads. While recent weather hasn't helped, one neighbor says the road he lives on has been a problem for years.
Chris Kline has lived off 92nd Avenue for over a decade and says the road has been a catastrophe.
"I understand it's seasonal, it's weather, potholes are going to happen, but it doesn't get the attention it needs," Kline said. "I mean just two years ago we had a bus bounce into the ditch. A school bus with all of our kids on it."
Kline says he and other neighbors have talked with the township and county road commission to figure out how to keep the road maintained.
"We just want it to be properly maintained whatever that may be. If paving's the answer awesome let's do that," Kline said.
The Operations Superintendent for the Ottawa County Road Commission, Ken Hildebrand said the weather this year has made maintaining the roads especially challenging for them and road commissions across West Michigan.
"The perception is that we’re not doing our job and we don’t care, and that’s not the case," Hildebrand stated. "Once that road gets saturated there’s really not a whole lot that we can do with it. If we go through and grade it in the condition that they’re in it will be 10 times worse."
While the county deals with weather and takes care of road maintenance, local municipalities are responsible for any road upgrades. Township Supervisor Adam Elenbaas said it would cost about $30 million to get all of their roads paved.
"We don't actually get any road funding. So, our first option is looking at the budget and looking at where we can potentially pull from other sources. The second is to go to the voters and ask for some sort of a millage increase," Elenbaas said.
Elenbaas says they're looking to find federal and state grants that could help with funding their roads. Kline says he's just hoping they can figure something out to make his ride home from work a little smoother.
"I just want them all to hopefully work together to get a good solution going," Kline said.
