Big Rapids Township is getting some relief from rough roads – likely not as much as many people want, but some. The Township Board of Commissioners approved funding for paving parts of 190^th Avenue and 14 Mile Road at Tuesday's Board meeting.

“We are, finally. It has needed it for years and we saved up the money last year so we could put extra in this year and we can do that,” says Township Supervisor Bill Stanek. “We're talking two miles on 190^th and about three-quarters of a mile on 14 Mile and it's about $428,000 total.”

Stanek says a timetable for the project isn't set yet, but he's hoping to see it done within the next few months.

“That is up to the county when they can get to it. They have to bid this out yet for their paving for this year – maybe late summer – we're going to get ours in as quick as we can so that we can get it.”

He notes that Township officials are aware of problems with roads, especially this year.

“I get a lot of complaints about the roads. That's the biggest complaint we get in the Township. I hear it at least three times a week [and] probably 85 percent of them were 190^th Avenue this year.”

Other road projects, such as the gravel on 220^th Avenue and paving Campus View Drive, are on the Board's radar and Stanek says they will be adding to the road millage from the general fund as much as possible every year to get them done.