WINNSBORO (June 9, 2016) – During last week’s Fairfield County Council meeting, Interim Administrator Milton Pope requested that Council move repairs to the Great North Road to the top of the road repair priority list. The item had been favorably voted out of committee earlier in the day, he said.
The estimated cost of $83,000 would be taken from the road maintenance fund. Also, he noted, contractors have already been deployed and are working on surface treatment on county dirt roads, so they would not have to be redeployed.
Council voted unanimously to approve this request, but not until after some discussion. Councilman Billy Smith (District 7) pointed out that this road was in such bad condition that it was a serious safety concern.
However, Councilman Kamau Marcharia (District 4) commented that he too had been to meetings about this road, “but it seems like it takes priority over many, many roads and bridges that have been washed out.” He wanted to know why this road takes priority over other roads which also have safety issues.
Chairwoman Carolyn B. Robinson (District 2) pointed out that this was one of the roads initially paved when the road paving program started because it has the worst possible numbers in the entire county for paved roads, and this is taking care only of the parts that were damaged.
“But it is a safety issue the way the road is buckled. If you go out there and drive at night you will probably have an accident and damage your car,” Robinson said.
Smith said he understood Marcharia’s point but the condition of the road was so bad that it needed priority.
Marcharia again pointed out that there were many roads in the county that needed repair.
The vote passed 5-1. Reached by email after the meeting, Davis Anderson, Fairfield County Deputy Administrator, told The Voice the County Road Program has a budget of $123,570 for this fiscal year.