City improvement projects totaling more than $6 million have been approved throughout New Bern thanks to COVID-19 relief funding received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The money, which was dispersed among the city’s six wards, has been allocated for projects ranging from road and stormwater improvements to new housing and fire department equipment.
According to information from New Bern Finance Director Kim Ostrom, the city received a total of $6,704,351 in ARPA funds. The money can be used to offset the negative economic impacts of COVID-19, including assistance to small businesses, pay for essential workers, and investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.
In order to spend the funds, the City of New Bern elected to use the Revenue Replacement Standard Allocation, which allows a local government to spend their full allotment of ARPA funds up to a maximum of $10 million without having to demonstrate any actual lost revenue growth. The city chose to set aside the full $6,704,351 for city projects, with the funds allocated equally among the six wards in the amount of $1,117,392.
According to information from Ostrom, to date the city has approved a total of 24 ARPA-funded projects totaling $6,378,649 ranging across each ward. Ward 1 still has $13,725 in ARPA funding to spend while Ward 3 has $311,977 remaining. Each of New Bern’s other wards have exhausted their allotted funds.
What has that money bought for New Bern?
A breakdown by ward shows the number of projects approved and the funds already allocated. Several of the projects cut across multiple wards.
Ward 1: Five projects totaling $1,103,667, with $13,725 remaining
Ward 2: Four projects totaling $1,117,392
Ward 3: Seven projects totaling $805,415, with $311,977 remaining
Ward 4: Two projects totaling $1,117,392
Ward 5: Three projects totaling $1,117,392
Ward 6: Eight projects totaling $1,117,392
So far seven projects have been awarded ARPA funding totaling $500,000 or more. The largest of those is the planned Ward 4 improvements to Racetrack Road, which has been allocated $1,017,392 in ARPA funds. Ward 6 has been approved to spend $567,892 on a Pinehurst Drive pump station upgrade, while Ward 3 has used $547,000 for the Redevelopment Commission to build three small homes on Jones Street.
Other big ticket items approved for ARPA funding are North Hills stormwater related projects in Ward 5 and Pembroke sidewalk work in Ward 2, which have each been allocated $500,725. Two other projects funded at $500,000, the East Rose culvert in Ward 5 and the Hancock Street culvert in Ward 1, have also been approved.
The city has also approved ten projects in the $100,000-$350,000 range.
-$350,000 for McCotter House-Redevelopment Commission ($116,667 each for Wards 1,2 and 5)
-$350,000 for Middle and Broad street light or crosswalk (Ward 1)
-$270,000 for Trent Road bank stabilization (Ward 2)
-$230,000 for Red Robin/Trent Road ditch (Ward 2)
-$200,000 for sidewalk gaps (Ward 6)
-$155,000 for Fire Department storage facility (Ward 3)
-$155,000 for College Park drainage improvement project (Ward 6)
-$130,000 for Riverwalk fence upgrade, Convention Center to railroad tracks (Ward 1)
-$100,00 for Union Point Park infrastructure improvements (Ward 6)
-$100,000 for Racetrack Road culvert (Ward 4)
Among the smaller items to receive ARPA funding approval were $75,000 for a shelter at New Bern Memorial Cemetery (Ward 6) and 10 fire department breathing apparatuses (Ward 3); $28,560 for electronic speed limit signs (Ward1, Ward 3, and Ward 6), and $20,000 for a New Bern Police Department K9 (Ward 3, Ward 6).
Ward 3 was also approved for $2,855 for the New Bern Firemen’s Museum and $1,000 for Crime Stoppers, while Ward 6 got $2,500 to replace or improve neighborhood signs.
The information provided by the city also lists several projects in the planning stages that have not yet been assigned dollar amounts. Those projects include various improvements to Union Point Park as well as additional stormwater work.
By Todd Wetherington, co-editor. Send an email with questions or comments.