$6.5M for Columbia Parks, $7.7M for Net-Zero School: HoCo's Proposed Capital Budget

Funding for projects from a new school to a new police station were part of the proposed capital budget that County Executive Ken Ulman released Tuesday. 

Ulman said the budget outlines a $259,939,000 capital spending program for the fiscal year from July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015, aimed at increasing the quality of life in Howard County through investments in education, public safety, the environment and recreation. Below are some highlights.

Howard County Public School System: $77.338 million
Some of the Howard County Board of Education's capital projects are listed.

• Deep Run Elementary renovations/expansion: $13.754 million
• Atholton High School renovation: $9.486 million
• Wilde Lake Middle School building, to be Maryland's first net-zero energy school, generating as much energy as it uses: $7.7 million
• Thomas Viaduct Middle School completion, to open in Elkridge in August 2014: $1.5 million
• Systemic renovations: $13.8 million
• Technology: $5 million

Howard County Public Library: $6.805 million

• Renovation/expansion at Central and East Columbia branches: $550,000
• New Elkridge branch: $6.255 million for design and construction start

Howard Community College: $4.445 million

• Nursing school renovation completion: $1.5 million

General County Projects: $72.167 million

• Broadband installation: $30 million
• Alpha Ridge improvements: $4.4 million
• Cybersecurity for county technology infrastructure: $3.5 million
• Courthouse renovation: $3 million
• Emergency power generation: $3 million
• Ellicott City's downtown enhancements: $1.2 million
• US Route 1 revitalization: $1 million

Police: $100,000 

• Study for third police station planning: $100,000

Fire: $4.625 million

• Route 1/Port Capital Drive fire station: $2.925 million
• New Elkridge station completion: $505,000

Recreation and Parks: $22.297 million

• New parks/field by East Columbia branch: $3.5 million
• Troy Park: $8.9 million
• Blandair Regional Park: $3 million
• County pathway and trail rehab and expansion: $400,000

Transportation: $44.319 million

• Road resurfacing: $14.5 million
• Road construction: $7.648
• Sidewalk/curb projects: $2.161 million
• Intersection improvement program: $1.23 million
• Bicycle master plan: $900,000
• Bridge improvements: $700,000
• Downtown Columbia Patuxent Branch Trail extension: $500,000

Water and Sewer: $27.843 million

• Storm drainage projects: $16.575 million
• Fort Meade water supply facility: $5 million
• Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant repairs: $4.22 million
• Water tank recoating: $3.605 million
• Reimbursement for developers that construct major facilities: $3 million

Editor's note: Only some of the projects are listed above. See the entire capital budget proposal here.

Next, the County Council will review the budget and hold two public hearings so the public can weigh in on the proposal.

Related: SPEAK OUT—2 Public Hearings on FY 2015 Capital Budget Proposal

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