Geotechnical Engineering in Landfill Solar Projects
Grand Rapids is preparing to transform the long-closed Butterworth Landfill into a 2-megawatt solar project. Geotechnical engineering will be central to making it work. The plan covers six to ten acres and will use ballasted racks—heavy blocks that hold panels in place without digging into the ground. Construction must begin by June 2026 to qualify […]
Soil Testing: Preventing Foundation Failures Before Building
If you’re planning to build, one step matters more than almost anything else: soil testing. Before you pour a foundation, pave a driveway, or design a stormwater system, you need to know what’s under the surface. The soil may look solid, but without testing it, you’re guessing. And in construction, guessing leads to cracks, sinking, […]
Urban Planning Lessons: Why Corridor Redesigns Stall
If you live in Grand Rapids, you already know the story of 28th Street. It’s wide, busy, and full of strip malls, driveways, and constant traffic. A recent post on r/grandrapids asked, “What if 28th Street looked like this?” sparking hundreds of comments. People argued about traffic, sidewalks, transit, and whether the corridor could ever […]