A sidewalk-budget shuffle could send $284,353 to Hope Road

Money freed up in other sidewalk budgets could give Hope Road’s sidewalk project a $284,353 boost. Sandy Springs City Council is scheduled to consider the transfer Oct. 20 as part of a realignment of Community Development Block Grant funding.⁠[1][2]

The proposed amendment would move $268,182 out of Roswell Road sidewalk Subphase 2, which staff says is closing out, plus $3,000 from Long Island and $37,000 from Northwood. Staff attributes the latter reductions to lower cost estimates. Beyond the Hope Road increase, the remaining $23,829 would go into a program contingency account for future reallocation.⁠[2]

For Hope Road, the largest piece is $150,000 for utility relocation. That is not a newly discovered cost: staff says it had been estimated previously but left unbudgeted. The proposal also includes $35,000 in additional design scope for a new headwall, $50,000 for anticipated post-design services and about $54,000 to replenish and recalculate project contingency, partly offset by lower estimates in other phases.⁠[2]

This is a redistribution, not a request to add new money to the program. Finance staff says the amendment reallocates previously budgeted amounts supported by accumulated fund balance.⁠[2]

A separate item would accept the city’s $500,669 federal CDBG allocation for fiscal 2026. Staff says that award would support eligible expenses in the Long Island, Northwood and Hope Road areas, as well as debt payments on the city’s Section 108 loan for earlier infrastructure investments. The grant requires no local match.⁠[1][2]

Both measures remain proposals. Council’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Studio Theatre at City Hall, 1 Galambos Way.⁠[1]