Ford Selects Grand Rapids, MI For City Of Tomorrow Challenge

July 10, 2018 · 4 min read

Borgman Ford Urges Grand Rapids & West Michigan Residents to Share Thoughts on Transportation

Borgman Ford has been serving the Grand Rapids and West Michigan community since 1960, and in that time we've had the unique pleasure of watching the city grow. In recent years, Grand Rapids has become a nationally-renowned destination for tourism, art, medicine, technology, and more. However, as more people flock here, the fastest-growing city in Michigan, issues with public transportation, traffic flow, parking, crosswalks, and other infrastructure have become more pronounced. The good news is, Ford is offering help.

We're happy to share that Grand Rapids has been selected to participate in the Ford City of Tomorrow Challenge. This summer, Grand Rapids residents are encouraged to share their ideas in this crowdsourced, grassroots effort towards improving the transportation and infrastructure of their city. A combination of public voting and a panel of judges will determine the top idea or ideas and will award up to $100,000 to implement them in a pilot program.

No one knows or loves this city more than its residents, and this is our opportunity to make a lasting impact on Grand Rapids for the better. Below, you can read more about the challenge with some excerpts from The Official Ford Media Center, or visit Challenges.CityOfTomorrow.com to join the discussion and share your ideas.

Help Your City Develop Seamless Transportation – Ford And Grand Rapids Work Together To Create The City Of Tomorrow

Ford Motor Company and Grand Rapids are working closely with public stakeholders as well as AT&T, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, PlanetM, and The Right Place to launch the Grand Rapids City of Tomorrow Challenge – a crowdsourcing platform for residents, businesses and community groups to propose and pilot solutions that improve mobility in Grand Rapids.

As urban populations surge and new technologies emerge, the ways people move around cities are changing. In Grand Rapids, for example, the use of public transportation continues to drop and most families have two or more cars, according to American Public Transportation Association. With Grand Rapids experiencing the largest population increase in Michigan percentage-wise, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there is a need to alleviate congestion and reduce transportation wait times.

Solutions to many mobility issues already exist in some form, but the City of Tomorrow Challenge creates a more inclusive process in which residents can express their ideas as they participate in working to ensure a future where people and businesses can thrive. By working with communities to crowdsource new mobility designs and innovations, and funding pilots to test the top solutions, the program’s goal is to help improve quality of life for Grand Rapids residents and visitors by providing dynamic mobility options that build on the existing transportation system.

"As our city grows, we want to ensure we are working with our community to make getting around Grand Rapids easier," said Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. "We also want to strengthen confidence in our existing transportation systems. We have joined the City of Tomorrow Challenge because we believe Grand Rapids is a place where innovative ideas can improve mobility in our city."

Throughout the eight-month program, those who live, work and play in Grand Rapids are invited to explore dynamic mobility options, including making the city’s streets more walkable and bike-friendly, extending the use of and the information that transportation systems provide, and enabling smart transportation choices. The Challenge includes a prize of up to $100,000 to fund pilots that test the top solutions in a real-world setting.

"Grand Rapids is already on the forefront of transportation with our vision for mobility," said Josh Naramore, City’s Mobile GR-Parking Services manager. "With the City of Tomorrow Challenge, we can create a place that is a beacon of growth for years to come – a place where everyone can thrive."

To continue reading, visit Media.Ford.com.

How You Can Get Involved with the Future of Transportation in Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids, MI is and has long been a great place to live and raise a family, and Borgman is grateful for all that have chosen us for a New Ford Vehicle over the years. As this city we're all a part of continues to grow, Ford is allowing us to shape how our transportation systems grow with it. Whether you drive a Ford, take the bus, ride a bicycle, or walk to get around, your voice will be heard and who knows - maybe it will be your idea that's implemented at the end of the challenge!

To find out more about the Ford City of Tomorrow Challenge in Grand Rapids, MI, and to share your thoughts, visit Challenges.CityOfTomorrow.com. Should your transportation needs include a New Ford Car, Truck, or SUV, check out our Online Inventory, read about our famous Fair Trade Deals, or explore our Day Trader Program. Come and see why Borgman is the Best in the West!

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Nov 18, 2024 in Community Events

Help a Family in Need All November at Borgman

We love helping folks at Love Your Neighbor, who take a localized and interdependent approach to serving the Hudsonville, Jenison, and Grandville communities! This holiday, we're hosting a food drive to keep the food pantry at Love Your Neighbor stocked to provide for the families participating in the Life Skills Program. You can help by bringing a bag of non-perishable food items into our service center throughout the month of November. See the image below for some of their most urgent needs, but feel free to stop by or visit their website for more details. Thank you for helping those in need this season!

May 20, 2020 in Community Events

Essential Workers Get The Works Free from Borgman Ford

Borgman Ford salutes our essential workers in West Michigan fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak. It is our absolute pleasure to show thanks to them through a new program from Ford. Essential Workers can visit the Borgman Service Center now through June 30th and get "The Works" service package free for their vehicle. To reap the rewards of this program, all eligible customers must be enrolled in the FordPass Rewards Program and will receive enough points to their account to cover the cost of one The Works package. Though you must claim your points before June 30th, 2020, the points may be redeemed at a later date. To be eligible, customers must provide verification of employment such as a badge, pay stub, name tag, business card, an official letter stating essential worker status, or another form of verification that will align with a qualifying job category. With The Works, you will get everything you need to maintain the performance of your vehicle including tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, vehicle inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, filter check, plus a belts and hoses check. If you're not enrolled in FordPass Rewards, registration is easy. Simply visit this page and fill out the form. Soon, you'll be earning points for things you do every day, then using them for discounted services at the Borgman Service Center. If you have any questions at all about this program, FordPass Rewards, The Works service package, or anything else, please do not hesitate to Contact Us. Again, we extend our sincerest gratitude to West Michigan's essential workers. Thank you for all that you do, and it'd be our pleasure to serve you.

Nov 01, 2019 in Community Events

Borgman and Love INC Team Up This Season to Help West Michiganders In Need

Borgman and Love INC Team Up This Season to Help West Michiganders In Need Borgman Ford strongly believes that being a part of a community means giving back to those within it who need a helping hand. That's why we've teamed-up with Love INC in Grandville this year: to make sure everyone will have enough to eat during the coming Thanksgiving holiday. For every vehicle sold during the month of November, we will donate a turkey to a family who needs one. If you've been thinking about shopping for a New or Used Vehicle before the snow flies or know someone who does, keep Borgman in mind! Not only will you get a Fair Trade Deal at along with our unparalleled customer service, you'll also be helping a feed a family in need. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call us or send us an email - our staff will be more than willing to help. We hope to see you soon, and happy thanksgiving! Love INC provides seven area churches with food for families in the Hudsonville, Jenison and Grandville community. As a Christian movement of churches working together, Love INC transforms the lives of those in need by ministering the love of Christ through providing basic necessities such as non-perishable food and personal care items. Read more about them and their mission by visiting LoveInTheNameOfChrist.org.

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