ZEELAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – Two of Zeeland’s leading companies will share state grant money for creating 262 new jobs.
The Michigan Department of Transportation has awarded a Transportation Economic Development Fund Category A Grant, totalling 2.7 million dollars, to efforts by Gentex and Zeeland Farm Services for expansion. The money, which will leverage 105 million dollars in private investment at a ratio of nearly 39-1, will help pay for over 7.6 million dollars in work on renovating the M-121/Business 196 junction at Zeeland Eastern Gateway so traffic congestion can be eased. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, M-DOT’s Grand Region, the City of Zeeland, the townships of Holland and Zeeland, and the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council will also help fund the project, which an exact timetable yet to be announced.
The junction had been reconfigured several years ago, removing a direct westbound merge from M-121 (Chicago Drive) to Business 196, due to safety concerns.
