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The Suffolk City Council held a work session on Feb. 5 to discuss the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-2035 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which proposes $533.8 million worth of projects over the next five years and $2 billion over the next decade. 

During the council meeting that followed, the council voted unanimously to schedule a public hearing for Feb. 19 to receive public comment on the CIP.

Local funding will only account for $241 million over the next five years, with bonds ($165 million), state/federal funding ($161 million), the city’s general fund ($44.4 million), and capital reserve funds ($30.7) covering the rest. 

The plan focuses heavily on transportation spending, which totaled over $190,329,148, the highest total of any category over the next five years. Public schools ($96.3 million), public safety ($46.7 million), parks and recreation ($29.8 million), and public buildings and facilities ($21.5 million) each accounted for at least 5% of the expenditures over the next five years. 

“When you look at the projects, especially the transportation projects, they are literally spread across our entire city. From the north end to the south end to the west end to the east end,” said Mayor Mike Duman, who highlighted several projects he’s excited about. “There are a lot of projects that are going to be coming together to address our traffic issue and continuing traffic issues. All in all, I think it’s an excellent CIP.”

Finance Director Charles Meek led the council through the plan.

The largest expenditures included in the plan are the following:

• Replacement of Elephants Fork Elementary School ($61.1 million): This will replace the current school and modernize it. The current facility is over 40 years old, while the new school would hold 800 students. The $61.1 million will be spent between FY 27 through FY 29. In a separate project, Northern Shores Elementary will receive $14.3 million in renovations, including the construction of an additional two-story wing, restrooms and a cafeteria extension. The additions will increase capacity and eliminate the need for mobile units at Northern Shores. 
• Water system projects ($41.8 million): The $41.8 million will be expended in an expansion of the water treatment plant, groundwater permit renewal, well evaluation, rehabilitation of the Reids Ferry Well and water source development changes. In a separate water system upgrade, $28.7 million will replace aging water meters and water service lines, address regulatory requirements, and find and fix repairs across Cedar Lakes, downtown, Lakeside, Mahan, and Day Street, and in the area of Adams/Maple/Mulberry.  
• Route 460 improvements from Kings Fork Road to the bypass ($32.2 million): These improvements include median construction, road widening, sidewalks, and a closed drainage system. State funding ($30.1) will pay for most of the work, with developer contributions ($2.2 million) responsible for the remaining funding. An additional $77.9 million is anticipated from state funding for construction in FY 2030.
• Shoulders Hill Road widening ($22.6 million): Shoulders Hill Road will be widened from Laycock Lane to Pughsville Road through a combination of local, state and federal funds. The improvements include a four-lane divided roadway with a multi-use path. Additional roadway projects include widening Route 17 ($12.8 million) and widening a 1.5-mile section of Godwin Blvd. from Kings Fork Road to the Suffolk Bypass ($9.7 million). 
• Fire apparatus replacements ($19.1 million): This will replace fire engines, tankers, fire rescue trucks and aerial ladder trucks that have exceeded their useful life. In addition, $6.8 million will be used to replace ambulances that have exceeded their useful life, at a rate of two replacements per year. Fire Station 4 (Lake Kilby) will also be replaced, utilizing $3.5 million in FY 26 and $9.5 million in FY 27. Station 9 (Kings Highway) will be upgraded for $1.4 million in FY 27 and Station 10 (Bennett’s Pasture) will receive $2.5 million in renovations. 
• Sanitary sewer system upgrades ($18.7 million): This will pay for maintenance to protect against sewer overflows, repairs, upgrades to the pump station and sewer system improvements. 
• Stormwater projects ($17.3 million): Projects include citywide drainage improvements ($500K), Murphy’s Mill culvert improvements ($1.9 million), Oakland drainage improvements ($5.2 million), Woodrow South Suffolk drainage improvements ($1.5 million) and Olde Towne drainage improvements ($2 million).