Council authorizes $20M Safe Streets grant application focused on 17th Street and Washington–Michigan corridor

The Holland City Council authorized staff May 20 to submit a revised application for the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program to improve nonmotorized safety and signal/median infrastructure in major corridors.

Brian, a city staff member, said the team narrowed last year’s broader application—removing 24th Street—to increase competitiveness by focusing on higher-crash corridors, including 17th Street and the Washington–Michigan corridor. "We decided to just focus on those more major areas in 17th and in Washington, Michigan," Brian said.

Connie, who worked on the application, told the council the request will be approximately $20,000,000 and emphasized components such as new bike lanes along 17th (which is part of US Bike Route 35), medians, signal upgrades at known crash points, and a turn pocket near a hospital entrance on 27th Street to reduce left-turn conflicts. "This is a federal grant… approximately $20,000,000 request that we'll be putting in," Connie said.

Staff explained that the grant application was better received in 2025 but not "highly recommended," and that the narrowed scope, stronger return-on-investment metrics (which use crash counts), and emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian connections -- including a forthcoming bike park on the river — were intended to strengthen the submission.

Council member Shay moved to approve the application submission; the motion was seconded and passed by roll-call vote with all members recorded yes. Staff said the federal review will take considerable time and that the city will hear back on funding on the federal timetable.

The authorized application centers on safety improvements for people walking and biking and ties into the city's active-transportation planning; specific project elements and construction scopes will be refined if the grant is awarded.