Politics & Government

$6M for New Elkridge Library, $8.9M for Troy Park, $1.5M for New Middle School: HoCo Budget Proposal

County Executive Ken Ulman said his proposed capital budget also includes funding for a thirteenth high school site.

Funding for projects from a new school to two new fire stations in the greater Elkridge area were part of the proposed capital budget that County Executive Ken Ulman released Tuesday.

What do you want funded in Elkridge? Tell us in the comments! 

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.

"We are ... including $1.5 million to complete construction of Howard County’s newest school, Thomas Viaduct Middle School, which will open in August 2014," Ulman said. "The plan also contains funding to acquire school sites in the eastern part of the County, including for a 13th high school, to be located in the southeastern portion of the county, an important priority."

Below are some highlights from the capital budget proposal.

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

  • Thomas Viaduct Middle School completion, to open in Elkridge in August 2014: $1.5 million
  • Deep Run Elementary renovations/expansion: $13.754 million
  • Systemic renovations: $13.8 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
  • Technology: $5 million
Howard County Public Library: $6.805 million
  • New Elkridge branch: $6.255 million for design and to start construction
  • Renovation/expansion at Central and East Columbia branches: $550,000
Fire: $4.625 million
  • Route 1/Port Capital Drive fire station: $2.925 million
  • New Elkridge firehouse completion: $505,000
Recreation and Parks: $22.297 million
  • Troy Park: $8.9 million
  • Site improvements at Patapsco Female Institute: $1.1 million
  • New parks/field by East Columbia branch: $3.5 million
  • Blandair Regional Park: $3 million
  • County pathway and trail rehab and expansion: $400,000
Howard Community College: $4.445 million
  • Nursing school renovation completion: $1.5 million
General County Projects: $72.167 million
  • Broadband installation: $30 million
  • Land acquisition contingency reserve: $8 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
  • US Route 40 enhancements: $200,000
Police: $100,000 
  • Study for third police station planning: $100,000
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.

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