MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb County commissioners had a lot on their plate Tuesday, but the big ticket item was over $2.2 million for road repaving.
Commissioners approved the project, which will repave 16 stretches of road across Macon-Bibb County.
Day in and day out, Lily Robinson drives on Ingleside Avenue.
"I come here all the time," Robinson said. "To go to the park, and to drive to school, and to drive to do errands."
Ingleside is the longest of 16 stretches of roads the Macon-Bibb Commission discussed Tuesday to get a facelift. About a mile from Pierce Avenue to Ridge avenue will get repaved.
"I've noticed the potholes especially because the road is narrow, so it's very difficult to avoid them," Robinson said.
Robinson isn't the only one. Austin Johnston noticed it too.
"A little rocky," Johnston laughed. "There's cracks in pavements and sometimes they're not... the roads are not quite smooth and it can be a safety hazard. So I think repaving them would be a good idea."
It's not that simple. Commissioner Valerie Wynn says this is a pricey project.
"It's probably about a million dollars per mile to do road work, so it's very expensive. It's not like you can just go out and do it. Some people come up and say, 'Come pave my road.' You can't just do that," she explained.
The $2.2 million approved Tuesday comes from 2018 SPLOST dollars, but it only covers about 30% of the total cost. The remaining portion comes from state grants.
"Each district had a few roads in their district that needed to get done, but I think we tried to prioritize them based on need. The most need," Wynn said.
Some of the roads chosen are Riverside Park Boulevard, Lake Ridge Drive, Hightower Road and Mickey Street, just to name a few. Robinson and Johnston are glad Ingleside made the cut.
"I think that's a good use of funds. Because obviously, we want to keep our roads safe and our children safe. Luckily, I don't have any driving yet, but that'll be here before we know it," Johnston said.
Mayor Lester Miller says work on those 16 roads will start within the next 30 days.
The roads included are as follows: Riverside Park Boulevard, Wexford Place, Dennis Place, Jackson Street Lane, Industrial Way East, Erick Drive, Covington Drive, Wood Dale Drive, Clisby Place, Hillcrest Industrial Boulevard, Lake Ridge Drive, Williamson Drive, Thrasher Avenue, Mickey Street, Hightower Road and Ingleside Avenue.