OCEAN CITY, Md. — The Ocean City Mayor and Council are set to consider spending $1.5 million in upfront costs for a scaled-back version of the Baltimore Avenue utilities undergrounding project.
The project, originally estimated at $44.8 million, has been reduced to $25 million. The revised plan still includes undergrounding utility lines, raising side streets that do not yet match the height of the boardwalk, and installing new sidewalks. The town is expected to receive a $20 million federal grant, with $5 million coming from the town.
The $1.5 million would cover early design and engineering work, utility planning, and project coordination, as well as review and oversight to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. The town intends to reimburse itself for the upfront costs once project funding is available.
John Barr, an Ocean City resident of 25 years, said putting the utilities underground would help during severe weather and improve walkability. "They should be underground if we can afford to put them underground because of any type of bad weather," Barr said.
If everything goes to plan, construction on Baltimore Avenue is expected to begin in fall 2027.