Johnson County road paving nearly done for 2025

In three months, with workers pulling 12-hour days, the Johnson County Roads Department has nearly finished its multi-million-dollar Helene repaving project.Johnson County Roads Superintendent Jeff Wagner said Oct. 22 that crews were finishing up on Lakeview Drive and Dry Hill Road that week, which will complete their paving schedule."About killed these men around here but they hung in there," Wagner said of the road crews working seven days a week starting in August, along with the people in the office doing paperwork to make sure these projects got lined up. "I'm tickled to death with them."Wagner said there are a couple of chip-and-seal roads, such as Dr. Taylor's Lane, that will be worked on later once it gets warmer and the Natural Resources Conservation Service finishes its work. Wagner says the temperatures have to be "40 degrees and rising" to finish those types of roads, according to state recommendations.The road repair projects began in early August after trucks stopped regularly hauling Helene debris from the area. Many of the roads were impacted not just by Helene, but also by the continual use by full debris trucks over several months.In May, June and July meetings, the Johnson County Commissioners approved spending over $7 million for 41 different road projects. The funds come from a $15 million loan the county received for Helene repairs. The county has received $10 million so far in two $5 million installments.The asphalt-based projects were as follows: Gentry Creek Road, Lumpkin Branch Road, Jake Wagner Lane, Crackers Neck Road, Modock Road, Big Dry Run, Dry Hill Road, Lakeview Drive, Greggs Branch Road, Buntontown Road, Sink Valley Road and Atwood Road.The chip-and-seal projects were as follows: Old Forge Creek Circle, Main Road, Eggers Branch Road, Taft Eggers Lane, Drakes Creek Road, Draft Road, McElyea Road, Eller Road, Dry Branch Road, Branch Road, Fall Branch Road, Sandy Road, Forrester Hollow Lane, Laurel Road, Lane Miller Road, Greer Branch Road, Grover Reece Road, Canter Road, Furnace Creek Road, Bulldog Road, Brown Road and Antioch Road. Sink Valley Road required a separate bidding process as it required ditch work and new piping.