Rising gas prices slowing down road work progress

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Rising gas prices are not only slowing down drivers, but they’re also slowing down the folks paving the roads.

An increase in fuel and material prices is forcing Lowndes County Supervisors to adjust the budget for this year’s road paving program.

Supervisors had allotted 2 million dollars to resurface 17 miles of roads across the county, but when bids came in, they found that the amount would only cover about 10 miles this year.

The additional costs to finish the full 17 miles add up to 750 thousand dollars. The Board decided to approve the overage and work out a way to pay for it, rather than cut back on the paving they promised residents.

“I’d love to pave every single road, repave ’em, but we have to make these determinations on a year-to-year basis of what needs to happen all throughout the county. So, we made the decision today; it was a difficult one; there’s some risk involved, to do what we did,” said Trip Hairston, President of Lowndes County Board of Supervisors.

Supervisors are eyeing internet sales tax coming from the state to take care of some of the shortfalls. That money has to be spent on roads and bridges, and Lowndes County could see 250 thousand dollars more than originally expected for this year.