JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
If you drive on Jackson streets, your morning commute has likely become a dodge the pothole game just to get to the office. Four crews were out Wednesday working on potholes, leaving a string of patchwork repairs in their wake. Mayor Harvey Johnson says there needs to be a more permanent solution to the long-time problem.
Johnson plans to ask the council to move forward with a $10 million bond issue for a city-wide repaving program. However, Jacksonians shouldn't expect to see extra money from their pocket books paying for the paving.
"The city has set aside about $1 million a year that we set aside for repaving. So we're going to take that [money] and pay off the bond issue. It won't necessitate a tax increase," explained Mayor Johnson.
Some of the steps towards smoothing out solutions to the bumpy ride have already started.
"We also have a contract with a firm to ride all of our streets to determine the quality of the streets to assess them," said Johnson.
But that company won't just be doing sight-checks. It plans to go high-tech for the job.
"I'm told [a] machine is mounted on a vehicle that travels the streets and it actually rates the streets," described Johnson.
While they wait on council to vote on the bond proposal, the city already has a million dollar paving program ready to roll.
"The contractor's just waiting for the weather to break and the asphalt plants to open up and so you'll see paving on that as well," promises Johnson.
Because many asphalt plants close during the winter, it could be March before repaving results are seen. The city does not currently have a list of the exact locations that will be repaved if the bond is approved.
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