Ryan Ng, Holland City staff engineer in transportation, said, "I've been here since June '21," and summarized his office's work on permitting, traffic control, stormwater permits, sidewalks and resurfacing projects.

Ng said the department handles right-of-way permits for new developments and smaller projects and works to keep detours and traffic impacts minimal. "We want to try and make the detours as smooth as possible," he said, adding that the department places message boards in advance and seeks to inform the public about upcoming work.

Before construction begins, Ng said the city holds public meetings and mails postcards to nearby residents announcing the meetings and explaining where to find presentations and ask questions. "Once the project has started, we'll send out postcards at the beginning and when a phase changes just to make sure everyone knows what's happening and is updated on the schedule," he said.

Ng described surveying work required for new sidewalks and frequent collaboration with other departments. "I've worked with Parks Department a lot to help them build or resurface their parking lots," he said. For larger road projects that include storm sewer, Ng said the city typically partners with the BPW so that water and sanitary work are installed together and the city and BPW "kinda split the cost of the road side of it," which he said reduces the need to reopen completed pavement.

Ng also described his mix of duties: planning and office work to prepare projects and on-site oversight during construction. He said he values the cooperation and flexibility of coworkers across departments.

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