ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball highlighted $12.5 million for road resurfacing in his proposed Fiscal Year 2023 capital budget – the highest level of funding in eight years. This allocation builds on County Executive Ball’s commitment to addressing county infrastructure. In total, $31 million has been invested for roadways over the past four budgets from Fiscal Year 2020-2023, nearly double the level of investment compared to the previous four years. Photos from the event can be found here.
Over time our roads naturally deteriorate and it’s imperative we maintain and improve our county roadways to avoid more costly repairs and reconstruction in the future. Which is why we’ve making historic investments today for a better tomorrow for all. As our residents’ travel to work, school, grocery stores, and more, it’s vital they have safe and reliable roads, as we remain dedicated to the very best quality of life in Howard County for all.
With the funding allocated, Howard County can:
- Resurface up to 90 lane miles of roadway,
- Perform pavement preservation on 75 lane miles,
- Repair up to 20,000 feet of sidewalks,
- And repair 300 ADA pedestrian ramps.
Work in FY23 will focus on areas like Thunder Hill Road, Columbia Gateway Drive, Faulkner Ridge Circle, April Brook Circle, Green Mountain Circle, and the Hawkins Farm neighborhood. This Spring, improvements will be underway at Snowden River Parkway, the Swansfield neighborhood, and McGaw Road.
In FY22, County Executive Ball allocated $10 million towards road resurfacing capital projects. This allocation allowed the county to repave 68 lane miles of roadway, preserve 137 lane miles of pavement, repair 14,724 feet of sidewalk, and repair/upgrade 280 ADA pedestrian ramps.
The FY22 budget also allowed the county to complete a series of projects in the Savage, Gaither Farm, and Font Hill communities, and perform improvements on Evergreen Way, Patuxent Range Road and Stayton Drive.
“There are lots and lots of roads in Howard County, I drive them every day, there’s lots of work to be done still,” said Josh Duvall, Owner of CPE, Inc. “We’re a Howard County small business, our asphalt is produced here, our subcontractors are here, and we’re thankful to be a big part of these resurfacing projects.”
“Thank you for the investment in infrastructure and repaving,” said Adam Joss, Owner of The Vertical Connection. “It certainly helps to have fresh roads to make it easier for customers to visit, and we also have trucks on the road, so want to keep them running smoothly and keep repair costs down.”
About the Howard County proposed FY23 Capital Budget: Howard County Executive Calvin Ball unveiled a $377.7 million capital projects spending plan for the coming year which invests more money in classroom construction than at any time in the past two decades, while offering the highest funding for road resurfacing in eight years and making major progress on flood control projects in Ellicott City and elsewhere.
The historic funding levels are made possible by smart fiscal decisions which have led to a continuation of Howard County’s AAA bond rating, and by prudently building reserves which allow for 12 percent of the capital program to be funded with one-time Pay As You Go funding.