ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – UPDATE:
Roanoke County leaders have approved a nearly $693 million budget, along with a long-term capital plan that includes $286 million in major projects to be paid for over time.
The budget breaks down into three major areas: about $301 million for school funds, roughly $285 million for county operations such as social services and county offices, and approximately $286 million for a 10-year capital improvement plan covering building projects and road work (only around $15 million planned for fiscal year 2027). Additional county and debt services total around $92 million.
Phil North, a member of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, emphasized that the long-term plan remains flexible.
“But we only approve this year’s capital projects — those are placeholders for the future, those are very fungible, they can move around, they can change, they can be deleted, they can be added to,” North said. “Same applies to the schools as well.”
Hollins Library prepares for construction
Some of those projects are already becoming visible to residents. The Hollins Library moved into a temporary express location last weekend as it prepares for construction to begin on a new facility.
Jim Blanton, Roanoke County’s director of library services, said the new building will serve a wide range of community needs.
“A new exciting building with all these features that can serve all these different interests and attracts activity — so anything in the surrounding community will also presumably benefit from it,” Blanton said.
Hollins Library is in this year’s capital program and under contract for construction, with a GMP of about $9.54 million and completion expected in 2027.
Plantation Road pedestrian safety upgrades
Along Plantation Road, the county is also exploring pedestrian safety improvements, including possible sidewalks, crosswalks and curb ramps.
Local driver Maronda Dunbar said the upgrades are long overdue.
“I drive through here and there’s always people walking,” Dunbar continues, “and they’re always walking in big groups and sometimes they’re teenagers — they’re like 12 and 13 - they don’t pay attention to the cars around them so it just makes it more dangerous especially at night,” Dunbar said.
Plantation Road was added to the County’s 200 Plan after a pedestrian safety assessment — that puts it into the design-and-funding pipeline, but the packet does not show a funded construction appropriation for Plantation Road this fiscal year, but could factor into the capital improvement plan in coming years.
County leaders say many of these projects will take years to fully take shape, but residents can expect to see more planning, construction and improvement work happening across the county soon.
ORIGINAL STORY
Roanoke County has officially approved its fiscal year 2026-27 budget and a 10-year Capital Improvement Plan — decisions that will reshape classrooms, libraries, and roads for years to come.
The combined county-and-school budget totals approximately $693 million.
Schools get record funding
The single largest budget item is the county’s transfer to Roanoke County Public Schools — approximately $96.94 million for fiscal year 2027, a record high. That money funds teachers, buses, school services, and day-to-day operations across the district.
But the investment in schools goes well beyond the operating budget. The 10-year Capital Improvement Plan outlines hundreds of millions in school construction and renovation projects scheduled across the decade:
- Northside Middle School: approximately $42.5 million for a multi-year renovation and expansion
- Hidden Valley Middle School: approximately $47.3 million, scheduled in later CIP years
- Glenvar Elementary: approximately $22.6 million in significant planned work
- Roanoke County Career and Technology Center: approximately $15.4 million
- School Capital Maintenance Program: $26.5 million over the 10-year plan for ongoing repairs and upgrades
For families, the construction timeline could mean changes to drop-off patterns or temporary classroom moves during heavy build phases. The operating transfer also supports teacher pay steps for the coming school year.
Hollins Library rebuild is already underway
One of the most visible near-term projects is the Hollins Library rebuild. The county has entered into a comprehensive construction contract at a guaranteed maximum price of approximately $9.54 million. Staff members estimate the project will wrap up in summer 2027.
Located on Peters Creek Road, the site will see active construction in the months ahead — meaning the branch could face temporary closures or reduced services while crews work. The end result will be a new or significantly upgraded facility.
Smaller library projects are also on the books. The CIP dedicates approximately $2.76 million to renovations and expansions at Bent Mountain and Mount Pleasant libraries, likely appearing in the later years of the 10-year plan. County-wide library line items also cover furniture, lighting, and public technology replacement — meaning updated computers and refreshed interior spaces at branches throughout the system.
Plantation Road gets a pedestrian safety plan
On the roads front, the Board formally adopted a Pedestrian Road Safety Assessment for Plantation Road into the county’s 200 Plan — the official step that moves the corridor from study to design and funding.
Roanoke County Transportation Planner Nathan Grim said the need was clear.
“That was definitely the concern there because Food Lion employees were saying how bad the crashes were there,” Grim said.
In practical terms, the assessment recommends new crosswalks, sidewalks, curb ramps, improved signage, and possibly pedestrian beacons or traffic calming measures at high-risk spots — phased in over months to a few years as design and funding are finalized.
The CIP also funds the Transportation Alternatives Program — approximately half a million dollars reflected in FY27 — covering local intersection fixes, small safety projects, and stormwater and drainage work tied to road safety. Short term, that means occasional lane closures or detours during construction seasons. Long term, it means safer crossings and repaired road sections.
The 10-year plan — and what it will cost
The full Capital Improvement Plan totals approximately $286 million over 10 years and includes about $60 million in bonds spread across several years.
Supervisors are clear that this vote sets priorities — future boards will still need to approve the actual borrowing. Board of Supervisors member Paul Mahoney summed up the concerns of future debt.
“We are saying we’re on board with the kind of debt load through 2036,” Mahoney said.
Fellow Supervisor David Radford acknowledged that flexibility must be preserved for future decision-makers.
“We can’t tie the hands of a future board,” Radford explained, “We need to have a discussion with that and with our staff so we can kind of look at where were going with this,” Radford said.
What to watch for
In the short term, residents should expect construction crews at library and school sites, surveying activity along Plantation Road, and occasional detours or lane closures. Public meeting notices for project designs are also likely in the coming months.
Longer term, the plan promises upgraded schools, a rebuilt Hollins Library, expanded neighborhood branches, and safer pedestrian corridors — with bond debt payments that will factor into future budget conversations and decisions through 2036.