Morris County unveils $35M capital spending plan focused on roads, bridges, county college

William Westhoven, Morristown Daily Record
·3 min read

More than a third of Morris County's proposed $35 million capital spending plan for 2024 will go to support the construction of new facilities and programs at the County College of Morris and the Morris County School of Technology.

The Board of County Commissioners unveiled the plan during its last meeting of 2023 on Dec. 20. The plan will be part of a 2024 county budget that is still being prepared for a late February introduction and vote in March.

“The capital budget process began several months ago with the administration getting requests and back-up from the various county departments," Commissioner and budget committee chairman Stephen Shaw said. "We like to get our capital plan completed early so we can be among the first public entities to send projects out to bid."

A rendering of a new Center For Health Professionals building to be constructed on the County College of Morris campus in Randolph. The county's 2024 capital spending plan includes $4.2 million for the project.
A rendering of a new Center For Health Professionals building to be constructed on the County College of Morris campus in Randolph. The county's 2024 capital spending plan includes $4.2 million for the project.

Beyond education, the plan prioritizes public safety, health "and the needs of our veterans and vulnerable residents," the commissioner stated in the spending-plan announcement.

The county government also is responsible for funding the county courts and sheriff's office, the correctional facility and public safety training academy, and mosquito control. It also oversees the state's largest county park system in the state. Last year's county budget came in at $343.5 million, the fourth consecutive year with no increase to taxpayers.

“The inventory of county assets is not only extensive but very diverse as well," Shaw said. "In addition to traditional infrastructure like our 287 miles of roads, 1,000 bridges and 3.4 million square feet of buildings, we have over 20,000 acres of parkland, right-of-way trees and three freight railroads."

$14M for job training at CCM, Tech School

Significant portions of the spending plan are earmarked for the Morris County Vocational School District, based in Denville, and the County College of Morris. That includes $4.2 million investment in constructing and equipping a 70,000 square-foot Center for Health Professions at the CCM campus in Randolph.

Another $9 million will go to the expansion of programs administered by the Morris County School of Technology, including $7 million towards the construction of the Career Training Center at CCM. The county also will spend $1 million on improvements at the School of Technology's Denville campus.

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Almost $6M for jail, public safety spending

The commissioners also plan $3.8 million in improvements at the Morris County jail in Morristown. Another $1.9 million is slated for "public safety and health," including replacement of a mobile command unit, hazmat and training gear and equipment to train EMS candidates, the county said.

Road projects in 2024

Shaw said 30 miles of road resurfacing are also on the schedule this year.

Road resurfacing projects on tap for 2024 include:

  • $16.5 million for roadway resurfacing in 15 municipalities;

  • 4.2 miles of Ridgedale Avenue from Littell Road to New Road in East Hanover

  • 2.2 miles of Green Pond Road from Jacobs Road to Route 23 in both Jefferson and Rockaway Township

  • 4.7 miles of Tempe Wick Road/Glen Alpin Road (CR 646) from Main Street in Mendham borough to Blue Mill Road in both Mendham and Harding Townships

  • 1.6 miles of Schooley’s Mountain Road (CR 517) from Mill Road to Springtown Road in Washington.

The plan continues a strategy of offsetting the county’s future borrowing needs for capital projects with federal COVID relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, the commissioners stated. Allocations from those funds to cover capital expenses will continue into 2025.

A view of the rebuilt western wall of the Millbrook Avenue bridge in Randolph. The historic span reopened last August after a 10-week repair project funded by Morris County.
A view of the rebuilt western wall of the Millbrook Avenue bridge in Randolph. The historic span reopened last August after a 10-week repair project funded by Morris County.

Bridge projects in 2024

The county will spend $5.4 million for bridge and culvert projects including:

  • Intervale Road on the Parsippany-Mountain Lakes border over a tributary to Troy Brook;

  • Stephens Mill Road in Mount Olive over the South Branch of the Raritan River;

  • Hurd Street in Mine Hill over Jackson Brook.

A PowerPoint presentation of the 2024 capital spending plan can be viewed on the county website.

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com 

Twitter: @wwesthoven

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morris County Capital Spending 2024: $9M for schools, $3.8M for jail