Lee Co. proposes $2.8 million road resurfacing project

LEE CO., GA (WALB) - Some major roads in Lee County are overdue for resurfacing.

Officials said Lee County has never taken on such an expensive road project, but it is overdue.

With Lee County growing, some of its roads are seeing the damages and are long overdue for resurfacing.

"There was a time when money was down and we're a county that averages only $600,000 - $700,000 to put toward resurfacing and you've got 230 miles of paved road," said Co-County Manager Mike Sistruck.

Some Lee County commissioners proposed a $2.8 million resurfacing project to the six most traveled roads in the county, New York Road, Glendale Road, Ledo Road, Lumpkin Road, Airport Road and Doublegate Drive North.

The price is an estimated at $110,000 per mile, but some of the roads would require additional work due to base failure.

When you look at the roads, you see cracks, uneven surfaces and potholes. Things that can cause damage to cars, and also allow water to seep through the cracks, causing further damage.

Officials hope this project will change that.

"We've never done that much investment at one time but I think we've got a set of commissioners who feel it's time to invest in the county, some on these roads here," said Sistruck.

The lifespan of a road ranges from 6 to 12 years and normally the county would be resurfacing three to four miles a year, but if this plan goes through, they will be resurfacing around 25 miles throughout the county.

"It's also a comfort to the citizens. I think it's important, they don't need potholes driving onto. We try to take pride in our county and one of those things to take pride is making sure our citizens have good roads to ride on and safe roads," said Sistruck.

The project will go before the Lee County Commission next Tuesday where they will vote on how they want to move forward, whether that will be all roads at one time or splitting the projects up into sections.