For more than a quarter century, Holland, Michigan, has spent millions to heat its streets and sidewalks during the winter.⁠ With 168 miles of tubing coiled beneath the concrete, it's the largest publicly-owned snowmelt system in the country, according to the city's research done in 2019.⁠ Most of the capital is invested in laying that intricate tubing system beneath sidewalks and roads, circulating hot water derived from the Holland Board of Public Works' cooling system.⁠ ⁠ Since 1998, the city and its public entity have spent more than $8 million on the project, according to BPW estimates.⁠ "The year the first part was put in, it came with great relief that the operating costs were less than expected," said former Holland Mayor Al McGeehan, who was a councilman at the time.⁠ ⁠ _____⁠ ⁠ That was good news, particularly for downtown property owners who are assessed a tax to cover the cost. The city pays for the installation, and part of the assessment is to cover that capital cost reco...