Grand River Corridor

The Grand River Corridor Plan is an effort to plan for the revitalization of public spaces along 7.5 miles of the Grand River in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As part of the team put together by Wenk Associates, ETM Associates provided input on maintenance considerations for the proposed improvements and developed a strategic asset management plan (“SAMP”) for the corridor. The SAMP is meant to serve as a long-range planning document for the City of Grand Rapids (City) and its partners to guide how to most effectively maintain and replace the assets proposed for the Corridor.

ETM developed the SAMP through collaboration with the City and Wenk to ensure consistency with the City’s current practices and the Design Guidelines (a companion document describing the various materials, design standards, and aesthetics proposed). The SAMP includes four recommended service levels for the Corridor (depending on site location and level of use), descriptions of maintenance needs for the proposed materials and features, strategies for most effectively guiding maintenance work, and strategies for managing operations and maintenance along the Corridor. The SAMP also includes forecasts for annual maintenance and life cycle costs for several proposed assets, including the regional trail, unit pavers, benches, lawns, and trees. The life cycle costs are intended to be used to guide future development and budgeting efforts as the improvements are designed and built.