City of Holland details Columbia Street rebuild, phases after BPW withdraws water‑main work

City of Holland staff presented detailed plans for a multi‑phase reconstruction of Columbia Street at a neighborhood meeting, describing a wider roadway, added bike lanes and a major storm‑sewer upgrade and saying the Board of Public Works (BPW) has withdrawn planned water‑main work on 17th–19th streets.

At the meeting Andrew Bisha, City staff project presenter, said the project will widen the measured back‑to‑back roadway from about 31 feet to roughly 40 feet, install bike lanes on both sides, keep a minimum 6‑foot sidewalk and add other school‑area features including parking on both sides near Black River School and a bus turnout near Hope College. "The probably the biggest improvement besides the roadway is the storm sewer," Bisha said.

The presentation emphasized impacts for residents and businesses. Bisha said routine trash pickup and daily mail delivery are expected to continue but that the work will be done in three phases and that residents in an active phase will need to move cans and other items out of the immediate construction zone. He said the city expects three separate detours, each using Lincoln Avenue. Bisha advised labeling trash cans and said, "we're going to have to work with you to drag those outside the project area that's presently being worked on." He also recommended that large vehicles —…