Powering West Michigan’s Future

Greater Grand Rapids has the transportation and technology infrastructure to move your products and people to their destinations quickly and efficiently.

Transportation at a Glance

Highways: An extensive system connects Greater Grand Rapids to major cities and transportation hubs throughout the Upper Midwest. Drive distances/times include:

• Detroit, MI: 154 Miles / 2:50
• Chicago, IL: 175 Miles / 2:48
• Cleveland, OH: 307 Miles / 4:43
• Columbus, OH: 336 Miles / 5:38
• Dayton, OH: 301 Miles / 5:08
• Indianapolis, IN: 290 Miles / 4:38
• Milwaukee, WI: 265 Miles / 4:16
• St. Louis, MO: 442 Miles / 7:00
• Toledo, OH: 197 Miles / 2:56
• Toronto, Canada: 583 Miles / 5:52

Air: The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA), is served by:

• 8 passenger airlines, including Delta, AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, Air Canada, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines
• 130 daily scheduled nonstop flights to
• 25 major market destinations, and
• 2 cargo airlines that transport more than 40,000 tons of air cargo annually.

Rail: As the country’s 12th largest rail system, Michigan iswell served by regional hubs in Grand Rapids and Detroit and supported by an infrastructure detailed in our State Rail Plan.  A federally designated high speed rail corridor, served by Amtrak, connects Grand Rapids to Chicago  Michigan's current Class I railroads include:

• Canadian National/Grand Trunk,
• Norfolk Southern Railway,
• CSX Transportation, and the
• Canadian Pacific Railway/Soo Line.

Utilities at a Glance

Renewable Energy: Michigan's Renewable Energy Standard requires Michigan electric providers to achieve a retail supply portfolio that includes at least 10% renewable energy by 2015. Data for 2009 (the most recent available) shows that percentage currently stands at 3.6%.

Commercial and Industrial Energy: Michigan is one of the leading states to support electric customer choice. With an average cost per kilowatt hour of $0.94, compared to the national average of $0.95, we are an economical choice for business.

Natural Gas: Michigan is the nation's 11th-largest gas production state, with 25% of natural gas needs supplied from in-state sources. As with electricity, natural gas customers are eligible to purchase their supplies directly from licensed alternative gas suppliers (AGSs). With more than 650 billion cubic feet of cyclic storage capacity in geological formations, Michigan offers more storage than any other state ensuring a steady supply of power even during periods of high demand.

Water: Bordered by four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan has access to more than 5,000 cubic miles of fresh water bordered by more than 9,000 miles of shoreline. These “inland seas” provide water for residents, water-dependent industries, shipping and recreation.

Telecommunications: Michigan offers a competitive, open market for residential and commercial telecommunications customers, with more than 200 licensed providers.

Internet Access: More than 70% (approximately 164,000) of Michigan businesses use broadband for high-speed access to information with a median monthly price of $66.75 according to a 2011 report by Connect Michigan, a subsidiary of Connected Nation. That access and rate puts Michigan on par with 14 other states in terms of technology adoption and usage. Michigan’s high-tech, manufacturing, professional and financial services all exceed the Connected Nation industry averages for broadband adoption. In all other industry sectors, Michigan mirrored the rates of other states.

To learn more about our location advantages, contact us or talk to our Business Development team.