Capital Improvements Program (CIP)

The development of the 2023-2028 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) represents a collaboration between citizens and the City that results in a comprehensive database of all public improvement needs planned everywhere in the city, from the airport to the zoo. The CIP also serves as a planning and budgetary support document, a community report and a six‐year schedule outlining priorities for improving the City’s infrastructure and assets.   

The process of annually identifying and updating projects, scheduling construction and financing is collectively identified as a Capital Improvements Program; the Program ultimately results in the creation of a Capital Improvements Plan. The terms Program and Plan are, at times, used interchangeably but collectively make up the Capital Improvements Program. 

Because the City’s capital improvement needs are continually evolving, the CIP database should be updated annually. The CIP provides for an opportunity to evaluate the entire capital budget and respond to the uncertainty of federal and state mandates, in addition to unexpected emergencies.  As these needs and cost estimates are identified, necessary projects will be recommended for inclusion in future Capital Improvements Programs.   

The CIP also strives to align anticipated capital improvements with adopted plans, studies and related programs the City and its various departments are charged with following.   

Lastly, the CIP provides the City with an opportunity to create a clearinghouse or inventory of needs, wants, mandates, proposals and plans in one place.  Maintaining a database of unfunded needs (or a wish list) allows the City to compare and organize future projects and balance the community’s expectations and changing priorities.  Lastly, the CIP provides the City with a place to document successes and projects completed in the previous year(s).  

Capital Improvement Strategies

These strategies were endorsed by the City Council and are the underlying philosophy of the Capital Improvements Program.

  • The City of Springfield's primary responsibility is the protection of life, health, and public safety. Projects which address serious health and safety needs should receive the highest rating.
  • Improving the city's existing infrastructure also rates high. Projects which improve existing streets, parks, etc. to adopted standards; projects which improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the city's basic service systems; and projects which enhance city government's ability to provide basic services should receive the second highest rating. The City Council states as a matter of policy that, all other considerations being equal, improvement of existing infrastructure should rate higher than construction of new infrastructure improvements.
  • Construction of new infrastructure improvements (new streets, new parks, greenways, etc.) is necessary to keep up with the community's growth.

Preserving & Enhancing Springfield's Quality of Life

In addition to these three strategies, preserving and enhancing the quality of life for Springfield citizens is also important. Many things make up "quality of life", including a clean environment, pleasant neighborhoods, diverse housing and job opportunities, and recreational and cultural opportunities. Where possible, the capital improvement projects which are preferred are those which have a long useful life, benefit the city as a whole, benefit the city's low and moderate income citizens, and either protect or have no adverse impact on the environment.

Services & Facilities Provided at the Urban Level

Quality of life issues do not stop at the city boundaries. Development outside the city is also occurring at urban densities. People living in these areas expect services and public facilities at urban levels, and the density of development in these areas requires facilities, such as streets, built to urban standards. 

Services and facilities provided by Greene County and by special districts are generally not provided to urban standards because they were built for the primarily rural population of the county. The city is in the best position to provide services and facilities appropriate for the urban population, but provision of these facilities must be coordinated between the city and the county. Specifically, street projects that occur near the city limits should be coordinated between the city and the county.

CIP 2023 cover