The RCKC was formed in 1909 and at the end of 2020, RCKC maintained 1,269 miles of roads throughout the 576 square-mile county. RCKC’s organization includes 57 employees — 25 administrative and 32 road maintenance operators and mechanics. In 2019, the RCKC engaged in a study of its current operations and facilities. After careful review and consideration of these reports and other factors, the RCKC board approved the purchase of a vacant 40-acre parcel of land located on 26th Street in Comstock Township, which is planned to be a new operations and administrative complex for RCKC.
Fishbeck provided programming, planning, and design services for the complex, serving the entire Kalamazoo County. The operations incorporated a new 35,000-sf administration facility with office space for each road commission employee, promoting unity among staff. Additionally, all employees share the same break room. The 108,000-sf vehicle storage building includes an undercarriage drying system to remove ice from the plows and an 8-foot raised walkway between rows, providing a safer way to navigate the large facility. A 43,000-sf vehicle maintenance facility is attached to the storage and administration buildings, allowing employees to traverse easily between all buildings without exiting the facilities. Miscellaneous buildings in the complex include a new salt/sand storage building with an aerial spray boom to saturate salt from above, an automated vehicle wash building, cold storage, and an automated scale facility.
