Budget presentation focuses on Capital Improvement Projects

June 26, 2025

By David Stone

The Belton Journal

Belton’s Director of Finance Mike Rodgers presented a report at Tuesday’s city council meeting on a five-year capital improvement

plan that ends in Fiscal 2030.

The capital improvement plan identifies Belton’s infrastructure needs for the next five years, and it provides the potential impact of these projects on future operating budgets.

Nearly $80 million in capital improvement projects have been identified. That numberincludes $25.3 million in utility projects and

$54.3 million in “general government projects.”

According to Rodgers, a total of $10.76 million will be spent oncapital projects in Fiscal Year 2026 on items such as street and sidewalk projects, public safety projects, water and wastewater projects and drainage projects.

The “general government projects” include converting the recently purchased Miller Heights Elementary School building into a  public safety center fire and other personnel. The building also may provide a safe place for sheltering during weather events.

The city will seek grant money for the renovation of the former school building.

During the five-year capital improvement plan, park amenities will be added to Heritage Park. These amenities include the construction of a walking trail and a family pavilion.

The five-year plan also calls for the design or reconstruction of several roadways, including Connell Street, Toll Bridge Road, Davis Street, Hughes Street, Avenue J and Avenue I.

Replacing the East Central Avenue bridge is a significant project scheduled for 2026. Sidewalks will be constructed along E. Sixth Avenue and Sparta Road. The dry utilities along East Sixth Avenue may be relocated underground in 2030 if grants can be found to fund the project.

The utility’s capital improvement plan includes projects that meet future development and replaces aging infrastructure.

Five water projects have been identified, and several projects involve the replacement of failing or undersized water lines throughout Belton. A significant multi-year project, replacing Belton’s aging water metering infrastructure began in 2024. The Wheat Road water line project will increase water volume and capacity in south Belton.

Five wastewater projects are included in the capital improvement plan.

Water and sewer lines beneath East Sixth Avenue must be replaced prior to the roadway reconstruction that is scheduled for 2027. The Mitchell Branch sewer line will be upsized or replaced with a parallel interceptor in 2028. Lift station and sewer extensions will accommodate growth.

The larger of two drainage projects is the addition of new culverts and channels at East Fourth Avenue and North Blair. In 2026, the construction of a new detention pond should reduce flooding near Avenue I.