Smith County Road Bond Update

County Engineer Frank Davis gave an analysis on roads that still need work as part of Phase 2 of the voter-approved bonds. Some of those roads are being contracted out while others are done by Road and Bridge crews.

Phase 1 of the Smith County Road Bond was approved for $39.5 million in 2017 and resulted in 204 miles of county roads repaved or reconstructed.

Phase 2 of the Road Bond was approved by voters in 2021 for $45 million and included plans for 282 miles of roads to be improved. Davis has since added some projects, resulting in a total of 295 miles scheduled for improvement.

There is still $25.7 million in bond funds available. But a 60 percent increase in costs for the materials, including cement and hot mix asphalt, shows that more than $35 million is still needed.

“With the funds I have available, I am going to proceed on with the projects … as long as I have the funding,” Davis said.

Additional roads that now need work due to heavy rains and severe weather over the last year have been added to the list. Road and Bridges crews being called out to pick up debris for months after the severe weather in May and June 2024, also has delayed some roadwork.

Davis said he has been working on a detailed analysis of each road project, whether each road needs to be widened by 2 feet or 4 feet, and whether it would need 3 inches instead of the normal 2 inches of the hot mix asphalt overlay because of heavy truck and equipment traffic.

“Those costs are unique to certain sections of roadway,” he said, adding that he added in the rising costs of inflation for materials in his analysis.

Smith County has about 1,200 miles of roadway, making it rank in the top 10th or 11th in the state for number of road miles, Davis said.

“There is still a lot of work to be done,’ he said.

An updated list of roads completed and those scheduled for work in the Phase 2 Road Bond can be found at www.smith-county.com/i-want-to/view/county-road-projects