[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6578979,"mediaKeyId","3111919-0527656346e0e66b2233cfd2ffdaa172","parentId",3111919,"title","Howard County seeks funds for road projects, sidewalks and traffic-calming; Guilford multiuse path and Santa Road among priorities","audioSeconds",4889,"startMs",7140000,"endMs",12029000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111919-0527656346e0e66b2233cfd2ffdaa172&start=7140&end=12029","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111919-0527656346e0e66b2233cfd2ffdaa172/thumbnail_7140000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6578979/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-seeks-funds-for-road-projects-sidewalks-and-traffic-calming-Guilford-multiuse-path-and-Santa-Road-among-priorities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578979-08212bd394b67d695eb0b4e11c8de694/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028775&Signature=WZ3YYbIH~x1lheJDuOauaAhtE8gk1qEUpYRkkxIpqBof2R0cTueGKXY2oM-0rOgmRS8~hjKIcjIs4sqeyz1-w~HRF3dR2QHWQm-0uNvVa8INJX4K1G~EltXzgqqpKrogbZjYzvFFxntjP5fDeF~NY4jiWmPHueF75w5mASGs5AlFJ9B8Uq2RCJfx4P2F9SEy0Hged0eguNwGv2uUDR~Iu5KBg71Ko9~pStdtvPakYsfk-IRJorIpzIpD6uDpaZD9Sq7~fKSkoXPRo2Cv51POCy0TD1VwbrbKt3plJ1ZEcT90E6CJWrOOnjThxPPHVFNeRJ9BsKymtGiyz-5M2p1coQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Howard","date","2025-04-23T00:00:00Z","article","The Department of Public Works outlined proposed FY26 investments in road construction, resurfacing, bridges, sidewalks and traffic safety. Staff described a portfolio of projects at various stages of design and permitting and answered council questions about timing, right-of-way, developer contributions and how the department schedules work to avoid conflicts with other capital projects.

Notable project updates and staff comments:
- Santa Road improvements: DPW is working on design; resurfacing added bike lanes where pavement width allowed and the department is now studying a shared-use path option. Design funds have been spent; construction funding has not been requested in FY26 pending final concept and right-of-way decisions. Council members noted likely property-acquisition challenges along Santa Road.
- Guilford Road multiuse path: the project is split into phases (phase 1 from US 1 toward Winterbrook, phase 2 the Volmerhausen intersection improvements, and phase 3 toward Oakland Mills). DPW said revised designs tied to the updated Complete Streets manual should reduce property acquisitions; phase 3 is progressing toward 60% design and construction is targeted in FY26\u0000or early FY27 for some segments.
- Clarksville streetscape (J7108): design will continue; construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in FY27 and run through FY29. DPW said the project is complex and will likely be phased to address different sides of the corridor.
- Sidewalks and school-route projects: DPW confirmed that many sidewalk requests are designed to serve nearby schools; the department said revised school-walk-zone policies reduce some long-distance obligations but that projects immediately adjacent to schools remain a priority.
- Bridges: DPW reported multiple bridge and culvert projects in repair design; cost-share arrangements vary. The Brighton Dam bridge project will be a three-way cost-share (including WSSC) and was described as more complex than a typical small-bridge repair. DPW said some state-county intersection projects are on hold pending state partnership or funding.
- Traffic calming (T70089): council heard that since the county revised its residential speed-calming policy, DPW has received 260+ traffic-calming requests in a single intake period. Staff said they will prioritize requests, consider consultant support for delivery and consolidate public outreach where feasible. Where communities were united, DPW said projects such as speed humps could be completed quickly; where votes were previously required, the new process allows DPW to proceed when traffic data and policy criteria support action.

Funding and programmatic notes: developer contributions frequently fund new subdivision street lights and associated conduits; DPW holds developer-paid street-light monies and releases them to BGE when conditions are met. DPW said PAYGO, bond proceeds and grants are used in combination depending on project type. Council members flagged multi-year projects that have had no recent spend-down and asked staff to review whether lingering appropriations should remain active in the capital book.

Why it matters: the projects cover safety, multimodal access and neighborhood livability. Council members emphasized pedestrian safety and the need to pair pavement work with green-streets and right-sizing initiatives to avoid widening roads unnecessarily.

Council follow-up requests and next steps: DPW will supply more up-to-date lists of pending projects and funding status, will continue coordinating right-of-way needs with council offices, and will provide greater detail on schedule and acquisition needs for Santa Road, Guilford Road and Clarksville.

No formal votes were cast on road, sidewalk, bridge or traffic projects during the session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Howard - Budget Work Session - Capital #2 - Apr 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Department of Public Works outlined proposed FY26 investments in road construction, resurfacing, bridges, sidewalks and traffic safety, with designers and engineers briefing council members on Santa Road, Guilford Road and Clarksville projects and on a surge of traffic-calming requests.","taxTitle","Howard County, Maryland","taxId",13634,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6578983,"Howard County DPW highlights stormwater priorities, tensions over stream restoration and credits",3818,3254000,7072000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111919-0527656346e0e66b2233cfd2ffdaa172&start=3254&end=7072","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111919-0527656346e0e66b2233cfd2ffdaa172/thumbnail_3254000.jpg","/articles/6578983/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-DPW-highlights-stormwater-priorities-tensions-over-stream-restoration-and-credits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578983-86db8a229b057abb036c7ed891473fa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028775&Signature=JpyonAT-K4SqWBpuIP~racLw9THLwDKMugJgZlmrOD-oRNQjjU6o-X~ybaoWV9NoeZYIw~AKxbnbu7dM7JjWru18F2inG6MBmWLXF0hH9LyQeKpLrA-YebbQT~n8PRAbqVMiEWbI-933SfUMHO3GNwsqjd3UtMgckaWLcaIbnCmpfozn~H1d4Sjb9zkLNhXZI-AMDgeZxYdUMbwVhYjhyiMkMiLXHHwIqN6UTEPiCa47-6uiHAPPqOjuu24x7igXtc2eeVPHnwPolN9nsLwUl0Rj2woFGVMUWf2~tkt0LMlgzsaZREmol0DywCy9LUbGOR-zUw7k-neqDLM5jnQVjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Public Works Director Yosef Gabeta and DPW bureau chiefs presented the storm drainage and stormwater elements of the FY26 capital program and answered extended council questions about stream restoration, credits and the county
pproach to green-streets projects.

DPW described recurring pond-repair work performed under the storm-drainage program (D1177), noting the county inspects ponds and selects 7\b projects per year for rehabilitation. Gabeta said the department is pursuing a \"green streets\" pilot and is working with a consultant to identify locations and tools (bio-retention, curb extensions, tree plantings) that can be used where site conditions allow. \"We do not have any projects completed just yet,\" he told the council while showing example treatments used elsewhere.

Council members repeatedly pressed DPW on the county
pproach to stream-restoration projects. Councilmember Young raised concerns that some previous, large-scale restorations had appeared destructive in execution and asked whether the county could achieve MS4 permit credit by prioritizing other actions such as impervious-area reduction, street sweeping, septic hookups and targeted maintenance.

DPW and bureau chiefs said priorities have shifted in recent years from large linear restorations to smaller, targeted repairs and \"strategic strikes\" that address exposed utilities, failing outfalls or immediate risks to private property. Mark DeLuca (stormwater) described recent work that limited dewatering of ponds to minimize wildlife impacts and said the department maximizes credits across a menu of activities used by the state (street sweeping, septic connections, pond/stream projects), rather than relying solely on stream-bank restorations.

Why it matters: under the county\furrent MS4 regulatory framework and crediting rules, the county must show a portfolio of improvements. Council members noted the high cost and neighborhood impacts of some restorations and urged DPW to emphasize green infrastructure, impervious-area reduction and other lower-impact solutions where feasible.

On Program Open Space funding and federal grants: DPW and Recreation & Parks staff told the council they are seeing reduced Program Open Space funding compared with the recent elevated \"catch up\" period because POS is tied to state transfer tax receipts. Mooneyhan told the council that some state bond requests were partially funded and that the department was submitting congressional earmark requests in some cases.

Council dialogue and next steps: council members requested updated, near-term lists of planned work and credits. DPW said the county reports credit activity to state regulators and will supply the council with updated program summaries; staff also said they would consider consultant support to speed delivery if requests continue at the current rate.

No formal decisions or votes on stormwater policy were recorded during the work session. DPW staff emphasized that while the county will continue to use stream-stabilization as an available tool, future projects will emphasize minimizing tree loss, reducing limits of disturbance and working with communities on site-specific construction approaches.

","The Department of Public Works outlined storm drainage and stormwater priorities for FY26 including pond and outfall repairs, a new green-streets initiative and continued stream-stabilization work. Council members pressed staff on the scale of stream-restoration projects and how the county calculates credits under the MS4 permit.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6578988,"Howard County Recreation & Parks requests $13.8 million in FY26 capital funding, proposes several project transfers",710,100000,810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3111919-0527656346e0e66b2233cfd2ffdaa172&start=100&end=810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3111919-0527656346e0e66b2233cfd2ffdaa172/thumbnail_100000.jpg","/articles/6578988/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-Recreation-Parks-requests-138-million-in-FY26-capital-funding-proposes-several-project-transfers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578988-0352d82a738c2f16d4e5a1480cc46ef1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771028775&Signature=ns2Tm9hHqqBw6YEYyShaU5-ZzK2eXASp6LXbqcqqWxBKZE-~bNjqRsiC8u7L-lJuA7LncB4-MTaX4yzMMAHA42FhZVXmD5sSTEbQY7RA4okcPq0qIt-YYTwXbCYEgzDKIiCl8wVFvocjFCLxQN6eGjdLTyuA0qLzIr-zds125K9WOuilvWQSTS1uvWnbAPdyDk~bOW~1o09HDmVFDl17PeUlx9kATTy7KrJHt5hzLhRecfuOs83fZR~Gn12URyxdUTV5uLOBqQV~Iz0LU~2n-5ZrlQQd2lNxL~TJBZDzcKlyPk2a-DeWdm7Ty6KWF6kLNA6qVImvgoHvMPjeBk6Xxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County Recreation & Parks Director Mooneyhan presented the department\u000fY26 capital improvements request to the County Council, describing a $13,772,000 funding package that the department expects to amend to $13,172,000 after several internal transfers and scope reductions.

The presentation outlined grants, PAYGO and \"T tax\" funding for a series of parks, historic-structure and trail projects. \"We're requesting $250,000 in grants\" for preservation work at Blandair Regional Park, Mooneyhan said, adding the county received an African American historic preservation grant for the site and is requesting T tax for a new bridge and path connection at Blandair South.

The request lists project-by-project funding and several planned transfers. Mooneyhan described transferring $200,000 in Program Open Space (POS) grants and $300,000 in previously approved T tax to a combined historic structures project (N3984), and moving $500,000 in previously approved T tax from the Patapsco Female Institute scope to N3982 (park systemic improvements) so that the Patapsco scope can be reduced to a stand-alone restroom and storage facility.

Why it matters: the department reallocated money from a larger building scope at Patapsco to fund exhibit design at the B&O Railroad Museum and to provide contingency funding for Centennial Park West ball fields and Belmont Bridge repairs. Those changes shift the capital priorities while keeping some historic- preservation work moving forward.

Key project highlights presented by Mooneyhan and staff:
- Blandair Regional Park (N3102): $250,000 in grants for preservation of the slave quarters plus $500,000 in T tax for a new bridge and path connection at Blandair South, with an approved $250,000 grant currently held in a fund block.
- Patapsco Female Institute (N3959): original multi-room building scope scaled back to a standalone restroom/storage facility; $200,000 POS grants and $300,000 T tax are proposed to transfer to the consolidated historic structures project (N3984); $500,000 T tax proposed to transfer to N3982 (park systemic improvements) to fund Centennial Park West ball field contingency and Belmont Bridge repairs.
- Robinson Nature Center (N3960): requesting $250,000 in grants and $50,000 in T tax toward an amphitheater. Mooneyhan said the amphitheater concept is designed with poured-in-place concrete seating and turf behind the walls and estimated seating of roughly 100 to 150 people.
- Parkland Acquisition Program (N3978): $600,000 in grants and $100,000 in T tax requested to continue acquisitions aimed at furthering the Patuxent Greenway, expanding park access and supporting the 2027 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan update.
- Park systemic improvements and resurfacing programs (N3982, N3983): funding reallocated to cover matches, playground safety surfacing and ball-field work including Alpha Ridge pickleball courts and Schooley Mill resurfacing.

Council questions and staff clarifications: council members pressed on Program Open Space funding levels, grant timelines and design details. Mooneyhan told the council that state Program Open Space funding has fallen from an elevated \"catch up\" period and that amounts are lower going forward because POS is tied to state transfer tax receipts. She said some state bond bill requests were partially funded rather than fully funded, prompting the requested transfers and scope reductions.

Councilmember Young praised the completed bird-safe window work at Robinson Nature Center. Director Mooneyhan said the county has banked POS funds for Robinson and estimated the amphitheater total cost between $800,000 and $1 million; existing POS and Robinson capital funds should cover the initial phases.

Mooneyhan said the B&O and Fire Museum exhibit design and Waverly Mansion work are included in the N3984 historic-structures package; the department expects to begin exhibit design work well ahead of the B&O\u0000Railroad Museum's 2030 bicentennial.

Ending: Mooneyhan closed by noting additional slides of completed FY25 projects were available and that a few amendments to the submitted FY26 request were forthcoming. No formal council action on these proposals was recorded in the meeting transcript.

","Director of Recreation & Parks presented a $13.77 million fiscal year 2026 capital request and described several scope reductions and internal transfers to fund historic preservation, park improvements and new projects such as an amphitheater at Robinson Nature Center and a Centennial Park West ball field contingency.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Howard County seeks funds for road projects, sidewalks and traffic-calming; Guilford multiuse path and Santa Road among priorities

Howard County DPW highlights stormwater priorities, tensions over stream restoration and credits

Howard County Recreation & Parks requests $13.8 million in FY26 capital funding, proposes several project transfers