Suffolk’s City Council unanimously approved a $2 billion Community Improvement Plan (CIP) at a meeting on March 5. The project will address and improve the area’s infrastructure and equipment needs over a 10-year period from 2026 to 2035.
The plan includes $534 million worth of projects set to be completed over the next five years with $241 million of the funding coming from local spending. The CIP is set to be updated annually and is subject to change as needs arise.
The plan was adopted with an amendment to include the Driver Elementary School demolition in the 2026 fiscal year. In this project, the 55,100-square-foot main building will be torn down, while the 9,000-square-foot gymnasium will remain. $620,000 from the construction reserve fund will be used as funding.
Over the course of the five years, the allocated money will be put towards the following domains:
Public Schools ($96 million)
Public Safety ($46.7 million)
Transportation ($38.2 million)
Public Buildings ($21.2 million)
Parks and Recreation ($20.4 million)
Village, Neighborhood and Downtown Projects ($18 million)
While just over half of the funds will be on the city’s dime, the rest of the cost will be covered by a mix of state and federal funding, private developer cash proffers and other sources.
Specific public-school projects highlighted in the CIP include the replacement of Elephant’s Fork Elementary school, a building which will be 50 years old in 2029. Beginning in 2027, its renovation is projected to cost $61.1 million and be completed by 2030. The new school will serve 800 students. In the 10-year plan, Kilby Shores Elementary, Nansemond Parkway Elementary, Forest Glen Middle School and John Yeates Middle School will also be replaced for a total of about $297 million.
Public safety initiatives include more than $19 million going towards the Suffolk Fire and Rescue, $13 million to replace SFD Station No. 4, $4 million to modernize Bennett’s Pasture Station No. 10 and Kings Highway Station No. 9, as well as $36 million to build two new stations.
The largest of the transportation projects will include improvements to Route 460, which are expected to cost $32.2 million. The project will widen the road from Kings Fork Road to the Route 58 bypass and include median construction, sidewalk installation, and a closed drainage system. The state has awarded $30.1 million to the project, while the developer will contribute $2.2 million. Finance Director Charles Meek also anticipates $77.9 million more from the state for construction to come in fiscal year 2030.
Other highly funded projects include:
$41.8 million to water systems projects. The money will fund a water treatment plant expansion, groundwater permit renewal, and well evaluation. It will also go towards the rehabilitation of the Reids Ferry Well and to water source development changes.
$28.7 million to a water system upgrade which encompasses replacing aging water meters and service lines, addressing regulatory requirements and finding and fixing repairs. Further CIP projects and details can be found here.
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