Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich today introduced his recommended $4.23 billion Fiscal Years 2021-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and FY21 Capital budget that will address major needs of the County over the next six years. This is the first full CIP he has presented.

The CIP was presented this morning to the County Council, which by law is required to receive the CIP by Jan. 15 every other year. (Only CIP amendments are presented in alternate years.)  Despite constrained resources, County Executive Elrich said his CIP includes significant investments in schools, Montgomery College, transportation, pedestrian safety, economic development, affordable housing and climate change initiatives.

The recommended CIP for all County agencies (excluding the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission) represents a decrease of $141.9 million (3.2 percent) from the FY19-24 amended CIP. The tax-supported portion of the CIP is $4.03 billion, a decrease of $179.7 million (4.3 percent). The primary reasons for the smaller CIP are reductions in the General Obligation (GO) bonds available for programming due to revised County Spending Affordability Guidelines and reduced impact tax estimates.

The recommended CIP includes $1.71 billion over the six-year period for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), which represents 94.3 percent of the school system’s request. MCPS represents the recommended CIP’s largest expenditure category and the County Executive’s highest priority with 40.5 percent of the total CIP.

The recommended CIP assumes flat State Aid funding at the previously approved level of $58.7 million per year. While the Governor and General Assembly have expressed support for significantly increased school construction State Aid, there is not enough information available at this time to assume increases.

The CIP supports the construction and renovation of numerous elementary, middle and high schools and also supports Countywide infrastructure and systemic projects such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), roof replacement, school security and planned lifecycle asset replacement.

“Still, with all that we are able to accomplish in this CIP, I am painfully aware of the need for even more investments in core infrastructure, in our educational institutions, parks, libraries and other facilities that make Montgomery County a desirable place to live, work and grow a business,” said County Executive Elrich. “I am convinced that to accomplish our ambitious goals, we must be strategic in leveraging outside funding and in finding more affordable approaches to meeting community needs. I welcome suggestions from the County Council and the public on how to best achieve these goals.”

The CIP includes $152 million to preserve and increase affording housing options, including a record $132 million over the next six years for the Affordable Housing Acquisition and Preservation project. A new Housing Opportunity Fund has also been created to help proactively assist affordable housing deals earlier in the financing process.

Funding is increased for the Vision Zero initiative to reduce traffic related injuries and fatalities. The CIP includes a $9.3 million increase for pedestrian safety initiatives and a $4.5 million increase to improve safety for people walking and biking near future Purple Line stations. It also recommends funding for other safety measures for pedestrians, bikers and drivers.

Investments in mass transit—both to help mobility and address climate change—include an increase in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) funding. This includes $15 million to complete design of the Maryland Route 355 BRT corridor and $14 million for system implementation and planning costs for the New Hampshire Avenue and North Bethesda Transitway corridors.

FY20 funding to help address the climate change emergency includes $4.5 million in utility incentives funding to replace 25,000 streetlights with light emitting diode (LED) lamps, resulting in a 55 percent reduction in energy consumption.

Montgomery College would receive $312.9 million in FY21-26 funding to complete the Catherine and Isiah Leggett Math and Science Center at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus. to address projects at the Germantown campus and assist with library and infrastructure needs at all three campuses. This represents a $36.7 million increase in CIP six-year funding.

The County Executive also recommended fully funding the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission’s $1.67 billion FY21-26 CIP request – an 8.6 percent increase over the prior approved six-year CIP.

Among the highlights in the recommended $4.23 billion Fiscal Years 2021-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP):

• $1.71 billion for Montgomery County Public Schools, more than 94 percent of the MCPS request. This represents 40.5 percent of the overall CIP.
• $26.7 million to renovate existing childcare facilities and playgrounds, an increase of $16.7 million.
• $312.9 million for Montgomery College, a $36.7 million (13.3 percent) increase over the previous CIP. This will include infrastructure and library improvements at all three campuses, completion of a math and science center and improvements to Germantown campus facilities.
• $145.3 million to support the transit-oriented White Flint Redevelopment Initiative and amenities in the surrounding communities.
• $49.1 million for the White Oak Redevelopment Project.
• $231.6 million for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, more than 91 percent of the commission’s request.
• $152 million for affordable housing, including a record $132 million for the Affordable Housing Acquisition and Preservation project to increase the County’s supply of affordable housing units.
• $40 million for the County’s contribution to the Purple Line project.
• $15 million to complete design of the Maryland Route 355 BRT corridor.
• $14 million for system implementation and planning costs for the New Hampshire Avenue and North Bethesda Transitway BRT corridors.
• $266.6 million for projects that directly relate to the County’s Vision Zero Initiative to reduce traffic related deaths and serious injuries, including increases of $9.3 million for pedestrian safety initiatives, $4.5 million to improve mobility and safety around future Purple Line stations, and $4.2 million for Sidewalk Program minor projects.
• $61.8 million for County energy systems modernizations.
• $4.5 million in utility incentives funding to convert 25,000 County streetlights to LED lamps in FY20, yielding a 55 percent reduction in energy consumption.
• $61.8 million for the Gude Landfill remediation project to ensure the closed landfill minimizes leachate infiltration into groundwater and meets the current standards for closed landfills.
• $180.6 million to resurface, patch, and rehabilitate County roads.
• $26.7 million to renovate failing bridges and culverts.
• $9 million to support design for an additional 21 bridges to maximize use of available Federal and State Aid.
• Almost $19 million to replace failing bridges on Brink Road, Garrett Park Road, Glen Road and Mouth of Monocacy Road.

For more details about the recommended Fiscal Years 2021-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP), go to https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/omb/publications.html.

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