Silver Spring Transit Center, School Security Top Funding Priorities

An additional $7.5 million to prevent further delays in the opening of the Silver Spring Transit Center and full funding for security systems in county elementary schools were among the recommendations in County Executive Isiah Leggett's proposed amendments to the six-year capital spending plan, released Tuesday.

The proposed plan “recognizes the vital need to control future debt and focuses on funding critical safety-related capital needs or projects that will boost the County’s recovering economy and spur job growth,” according to a county statement released to the media. 

The $7.5 million general obligation bond for the transit center will cover "site improvement, utilities and construction costs required to prevent further opening delays," according to the statement. 

New projects proposed in the $4.37 billion Capital Improvements Program (CIP) include elementary school security systems, bridge repair projects, storm drain culvert replacements and the replacement of the remaining Champion buses in the Ride On bus fleet, which were taken out of service following fire safety concerns.

Leggett has also recommended $7.6 million to fund concept planning of a proposed rapid transit system along Route 355, U.S. Route 29 and Randolph Road, which he called a “critical next step in developing the County’s future generation transit operations.”

In addition, Leggett recommended allocating $462,000 for technology upgrades at county libraries and new phone systems at the Bethesda, Davis, Potomac, Long Branch and Wheaton libraries.

The full CIP is available online.