Township Proposes $28.3 Million in Capital Improvements for 2011

The first draft of Lower Merion Township's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for 2011 was released Friday evening, Oct. 29, and includes a proposal for $28.3 million for 46 projects over the next year.

The CIP (attached in full to this article), requests that $16.4 million of unspent 2010 capital dollars be reappropriated to 2011, and an additional $11.9 million be included in the budget for the upcoming year's work.

A few of the biggest planned expenditures would be for work done in Bala Cynwyd. The Bala Cynwyd Library is next to undergo renovations and repairs – the township is requesting an additional $3.4 million for the work. The Bala Avenue streetscape is also set to undergo improvements as part of the City Avenue Special Services District changes; the cost would be $1.3 million in new funds and $290,000 reappropriated from 2010. The town also has plans for work on City Avenue streetscape improvements ($85,000 reappropriated) and City Avenue transportation service area improvements ($54,000 in new funds). A little over $1.9 million in reappropriated funds from 2010 is proposed to continue work on Cynwyd Trail.

The renovation of Ludington Library continues to require a large portion of capital improvement funds. The 2011 approval asks to reappropriate $4.15 million in unspent 2010 funds and an additional $1.2 million to continue the work.

On the circulation front, the township proposed $3.2 million in reappropriated funds to renovate the Union Avenue Bridge, $1 million new funds for road reconstruction across the township and $875,000 in reappropriated funds to finish the renovation of the Anderson Avenue underpass in Ardmore.

Other big ticket items include, $441,000 for work on Ashbridge Memorial Park, $1.9 million on fire company equipment and repairs ($580,000 for a new floor at the Bryn Mawr Fire Company firehouse) and $675,000 for stormwater management improvements in the township.

The full list of all of the expenditures is available in the document attached to this article.

The first draft of the township budget was expected to be released with the CIP on Oct. 29, but has since been delayed to Nov. 5. The first public presentation of the budget and CIP will be at the Nov. 10 Finance Committee meeting of the Board of Commissioners at 6 p.m. in the Township Administration Building on 75 E. Lancaster Ave.

After the documents are released, residents will have the opportunity for input in the adoption process at two public hearings on Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 1 at 7 p.m., each in the Township Administration Building.