Caroline County delays decision on Secondary Six‑Year Road Plan as officials seek more study and data

The Chair opened new business on the county’s draft Secondary Six‑Year Plan for 2027–2032 and asked staff to summarize available funding and recent projects. Staff member explained the plan shows $89,444 programmed for fiscal 2027 and a projected total of $544,702 through 2032 under the Secondary Six‑Year Plan.

Why it matters: those funding totals determine whether Caroline County can program a project now or must let the funds accumulate; unpaid‑road bond money can only pay for paved‑road work, while the more flexible telecommunications fees can be used on secondary‑system projects.

Staff member said the plan identifies one completed project from last year — turn lanes on Double Jump Road at its intersection with Route 207 near the high school — and described the accounting columns that show money available from previous years. “What that column is showing is the funding that’s available from previous years…you got $5,888 between the two funding sources that’s still available in this fiscal year,” the staff member said.

Members discussed project eligibility. The Chair explained unpaid‑road funds are distributed by the state based on mileage of qualifying secondary roads that carry at least 50 vehicles per day, and noted many gravel roads that are not part of the state system do not count toward that funding. The Chair also described the rural‑addition process, under which a county can bring a gravel road into the state system by paving it and dedicating right‑of‑way or easements at no cost to the state.

The group examined a specific case: a segment of road that was dedicated to public use when developed but never brought into the state system; with no developer remaining, staff said the county will need to determine whether the segment meets the public‑benefit and age criteria needed for inclusion.

Members questioned whether the age rule is a rolling 20‑year test. Committee member recalled the standard changed from a fixed cutoff to a rolling 20‑year lookback; staff said it would verify the applicable age criterion before the next meeting.

Port Royal request: a participant asked the board to consider two studies for Port Royal — “a dynamic traffic signal on 301” that would operate only during peak conditions, and a long‑range study of a 301/17 bypass to divert truck and beach traffic. The presenter warned that widening 301 faces obstacles: parts of the corridor are listed on state and federal historic registers and there are substantial fiber‑optic assets along the roadway, which would make large reconstruction or right‑of‑way moves costly and legally constrained.

On the bypass concept, the presenter described a possible couplet that would route southbound traffic around town and repurpose an existing lane for sidewalks or shoulders: “you could either go straight on 301 or…take that right turn and just bypass the town,” the presenter said, arguing that a bypass could reduce summertime backups on the existing alignment.

SmartScale and studies: staff outlined the SmartScale application cycle and recommended pursuing a study as a first step toward a SmartScale application; members noted SmartScale scoring emphasizes safety and economic development and that right‑of‑way commitments or deed provisions are often required or scored as part of an application.

Outcome and next step: several members agreed they lacked the information needed to pick a project this month. Speaker 2 moved to postpone action and bring a recommendation to the next meeting; Committee member seconded the motion, and the Chair called the motion tabled to the next meeting. The Chair said staff will review eligibility criteria, unpaid‑road and telecommunications fee balances, and prior corridor studies so the group can recommend specific projects at the next scheduled meeting.

Votes at a glance: the group approved the minutes as amended by voice vote earlier in the meeting, and later voted by voice to table the Secondary Six‑Year Plan recommendation until the next meeting.

The meeting concluded with brief discussion of economic development pressures including data‑center interest and then adjournment; members said they will reconvene next month.