These 3 Michigan Cities Combat Snow With Heated Sidewalks

Holland's not the only Michigan city with heated sidewalks, you know.

While the City of Holland, Michigan has made national headlines for its innovative and impressive snow melt system, they're not the only Michigan city to fight ice with fire-- or at least really really hot water.

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True, Holland's underground snow melt system is know as "largest publicly owned, municipal Snowmelt system in North America" but it's not the only city in Michigan to use this anti-winter technology.

Michiganders are no strangers to the slog and bitter cold of a harsh winter, but with the western lake shore of Michigan being prime "Lake Effect Snow" area, it's no surprise communities located along Lake Michigan have taken matters into their own hands.

Not only are Michigan winters wet and cold, but they're dangerous! From power outages to slipping hazards to carbon monoxide poisoning-- what isn't trying to kill us this time of the year?

Even as a spry 35 year-old I find myself walking like a penguin across any icy sidewalk or parking lot. That's why I'm so excited to learn it's not just one Michigan city that is taking advantage of a heated sidewalk snowmelt system, there are at least 3!

Taking inspiration from Holland, who has had their snowmelt system in place since the late '80s, the City of Kalamazoo, Michigan installed their own heated sidewalks to the downtown mall in 1998 and expanded the project again in 2018.

Another lakeside community who also gets buried by feet of Lake Effect Snow, Grand Haven, installed heated sidewalks from Harbor Drive to Third Street in 2009 as part of a $3 million project.

How Does it Work?

All three Michigan cities utilize a hydronic snow melt system meaning hot water is used to melt the snow. As the City of Holland explains,

approximately 4,700 gallons of water gets pumped through the system every minute... [the water] runs through more than 120 miles of piping placed underneath the streets and sidewalks. The water itself is heated to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and can melt one inch of snowper hour, even with up to 10 mph winds