3 Michigan Cities With Heated Sidewalks to Melt Snow

Think Holland is the only Michigan city with sidewalks? Think again!

While we Michiganders are no strangers to harsh, bitter winters and piles of lake effect snow, I'm surprised there aren't more towns in Michigan taking advantage of these snowmelt systems. Especially those located on the west side of the state near Lake Michigan.

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Thankfully, there are at least 3 communities here in West Michigan keeping residents and shoppers safe with heated sidewalks. All three Michigan cities utilize a hydronic snowmelt system, meaning hot water is used to melt the snow. We've certainly got plenty of water here in the Great Lakes State!

Here's How it Works:

The City of Holland has made countless headlines and garnered numerous accolades for being the, "largest publicly owned, municipal Snowmelt system in North America." Since 1988 Holland has taken advantage of waste heat from the nearby Holland Energy Park by sending out 95℉ water through underground coils that line nearly 8 surface miles of downtown Holland's streets and shops.

Holland’s, snowmelt system is hydronic, meaning that approximately 4,700 gallons of water gets pumped through the system every minute to ensure that our downtown is snow & ice free...[running] through more than 120 miles of piping placed underneath the streets and sidewalks. -- City of Holland

But again, Holland's not the only one to use this technology. However, I'd love to see more Michigan cities take advantage of these snowmelt systems in the future. Wouldn't you?