NEWS RELEASE

Robert Jones, Chairman of the Pickens County Board of Commissioners, conducts a monthly transportation meeting on the first Monday of each month.  Attendance at this meeting each month is composed of county staff, Georgia D.O.T. officials, city officials, and other interested parties.  At the most recent meeting, discussion centered around the plans of Pickens County and the City of Jasper to improve and resurface county roads and city streets utilizing the revenue generated and dedicated to road improvements thru the SPLOST referendum.  A question came up concerning the amount of resurfacing the county has been able to do in previous years with limited funding.  After researching the files and going over an extraordinary amount of paperwork, the following information was obtained and Commissioner Jones wanted to share this information with our citizens.

2012

7.05 miles paved with asphalt and this was utilized on Apple Lane, Burgess Road East, Burgess Road West, Eagles Perch Road, Green Road, Green Hill Road, Green Hill Street, Green Farm Street, Green School Road, Lovelady Road, Parkway Drive, and West Price Creek Road.

2.30 miles paved with triple surface treatment and this process was used on Skidder Way, Gregory Drive and Lovelady Road West.

2013

Pickens County was able to pave 7.28 miles of county roads with asphalt during the year and this was utilized on Bell Avenue Extension, Bent Tree Drive, County Line Road, Oak Morris Ridge, Old Highway 5 (Apple Orchard Drive), Whitestone Road, and the Pickens County Courthouse parking lot.

2014

This year saw a considerable increase in the county roads resurfaced as the SPLOST dollars set aside for transportation projects started to come available.  16.79 miles of county roads were resurfaced during the year which included Camp Dobbs Road, Fortner Road, the section of Henderson Mountain Road between Pleasant Union Road and Carlan Road, Long Road, Monument Road, Orchard Road, Pleasant Union Road, Refuge Road, and Rock Creek Trail South.

2015        

As the SPLOST dollars for transportation improvements continue to accumulate, Pickens County was able to resurface 20.72 miles  of county roads with asphalt.  The roads repaved included Old Whitestone Road East, Allred Mill Road, Harris Road, Keetor Road, Mineral Springs Road, Shyers Ford Road, Montview Road, South Main Street, Carlan Road, Henderson Mountain Road from Carlan Road to Georgia Highway 53, and Northridge Road.  Pickens County contracted with a paving company to resurface Twin Mountain Lake Road, Twin Mountain Lake Circle, Twin Mountain Lake Drive, Hood Road from the city limits to Gennett Drive, Kudzu Trail and Kudzu Trail North.  A very busy year has been finished out by resurfacing 1.94 miles of roads on Hyde Road, Beaver Ridge Road, and Childers Lane with a triple surface treatment.

As you can tell from the figures listed above, the SPLOST referendum has enabled Pickens County to almost triple the amount of work being performed annually to provide our citizens with a cost-effective, safe, and efficient transportation system.  It has also come to the attention of GA D.O.T. that the county is attempting to solve our transportation challenges and they have indicated a willingness to help out more than the normal funding allowance.  Please rest assured that the county is doing all that is possible to provide its citizens with a safe and efficient road system to enable you and your family to travel the roadways safely.