Jones County Using Cutting Edge Road Paving Method

GRAY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Jones County is putting cutting edge techniques to work on its roads.

Thursday a crew was on Oak Valley Drive micro-surfacing. It’s a new way to preserve the road.

Jones is only the second county in the state to use it.

Commissioner Tommy Robinson says traditionally the county used a method called chip sealing, but the chips can get loose and end up damaging vehicles.

Robinson says the county’s paid out several thousand dollars in car repairs.

“It does cost a little bit more than the regular chip seal but I think it’s well worth it and I think the residents will think so too, and that’s the main thing, the taxpayers of the county,” said Robinson.

Jeff Harless with Strawser Construction, the group doing the micro-surfacing, says road preservation has become more popular since local governments have hit hard times.

“Instead of the old, do the worst first, a lot of agencies now are looking at, ‘this is a pretty good road, let’s preserve it, and make it last another ten years’,” said Harless.

Jones County plans to micro-surface 10 roads in total.