The flood-prone Merion Park section of Ocean City will be part of $5 million in road and drainage repairs in 2014.
City Council voted unanimously Thursday to appropriate $9.3 million and borrow $8.9 million to continue on a long to-do list.
The $9.3 million in spending will include:
- Ocean City Beachfront Improvements: Including but not limited to emergency berming, dune and ADA access improvements. $795,000
- Roads and Drainage: Streets, alleys, bulkheads and drainage systems — prioritized based on the City of Ocean City rating system. $5,000,000
- Public Building Repairs: Including but not limited to Ocean City Music Pier, Ocean City Free Public Library, Transportation Center and various HVAC systems. $905,000
- Public Recreation Facilities: Including but not limited to the marina and Second Street and Bay Avenue, the 52nd Street playground, irrigation improvements and other playground improvements.$850,000
- Parking, Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities: Projects include downtown improvements and the marking of bike lanes on West Avenue. $335,000
- Airport: Including but not limited to removal of runway obstructions. $75,000
- Equipment: For Music Pier, Community Operations Department and other departments. $100,000
- Radio and Communications Center Upgrades: $328,000
- Heavy Equipment Rehabilitation: $125,000
- Ambulance Rehabilitation: $200,000
- City Vehicles and Equipment: Mini-trash packer, beach rake, sweeper, public safety SUV, mini passenger van, 15-passenger van and replacement of passenger vehicles.
The items are part of a capital plan that calls for spending $51,597,212 over the next five years to fix up the city. The plan for 2014 to 2018 will appropriate more than $10 million a year, including $5 million annually on roads and drainage improvements alone.
The ambitious plan is part of Mayor Jay Gillian’s commitment to addressing long-neglected infrastructure issues in the city. It will be funded by $49 million in borrowing over the next five years under a schedule of bond issues and debt service that takes advantage of historically low interest rates.
In addition to the $25 million in road and drainage improvements over the next five years, the plan calls for spending more than $2 million on dredging, more than $7 million to replace the boardwalk between Fifth and 12th streets, $600,000 to repair docks at 2nd Street and Bay Avenue, $250,000 on a skateboard park, $750,000 for a turf field at Carey Stadium and $400,000 in bike lane improvements.
Many of the planned appropriations could be offset by grants or other funding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is expected to reimburse Ocean City 90 percent of marina repairs at Second Street.
Plans call for the rebuilding of three piers at the public recreation area on the bay. One pier, including boat slips and a public fishing area, is expected to be complete by summer.
