Chip & Seal by L. Hicks

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County to chip and seal 15 miles of dirt roads

By Linda Hicks Friday, June 8, 2001
Staff writer

Another dusty road taken off the list is a notch in the belt of White County Judge Bob Parish.

Parish instituted a road program in White County in 1995, and since about 75 miles of county's 4,400 miles of roads have been chipped and sealed. He anticipates he will be increasing that number by about 15 or so miles this year.

"This program is working," he said. "The people pay for the oil and chips, and we do the labor. Iím proud of my record."

However, it may take some time for the county's two crews to get around to completing all the roads that need to be done. Those wishing the services must first add their name to the list, collect the money and wait their turns. The cost, Parish said, is about $16,000 per mile. And the least job that the county will undertake is one-half mile unless the roadís distance is shorter.

The list of roads to be chipped and sealed this year includes:

North Waller Rd., three-quarters of a mile; Donnie Stevens Rd., on the south end about eight-tenths of a mile which will connect it to Moccasin Bend Rd.; and also about one-quarter mile of Moccasin Bend, on the east end;

Fry Road, one-half mile on the west side of the county; Grubbs Road, one-half mile in the east portion of the county, Bald Knob area; Old Russell Rd., one-half mile on the west side; Lions Way Rd., one mile southeast of Searcy; Loverís Lane Rd., one-half mile just outside Bald Knob; Honeyhill Loop, two miles, on the east and west side; one-half mile of Freppon Rd. in Bald Knob; Butler Lane, two miles, located in Center Hill; Smyrna Rd., eight-tenths of a mile, north of Hwy. 36.

In addition, county road department employees will be working on a couple of state aid jobs.

Although it hasn't interfered, so far, with work, Parish said, the road department has outgrown its current facilities. Also, the Environmental Protection Agency shut down the facility about 10 months ago due to the lack of a sewer. As a result, no equipment can be washed at the road department.

Parish said the department has 48 employees, 16 graders, 15 dump trucks, tractors, trailers and big trucks and operates on a $3.5 million budget.

"We are the largest road system in Arkansas and very prosperous, and we can't wash a truck or any vehicle at the road department," he said, adding that he anticipates it may have hindered some vehicle maintenance.

There are plans to build a new facility on a 30-acre plot of land located about two-tenths of a mile outside the Searcy city limits, just off Hwy. 367, on Bailey Street. The quorum court, pending appraisal of the property, has already approved the land purchase, Parish said. The cost of the property will run $5,000 per acre. Half of the money for the project will come from the road department budget, and the other half will come from the capital improvement fund, Parish said. He anticipates having the land appraisal results back in time for the June 19 quorum court meeting.