Brooks County Roads in Peril

Brooks County, GA—Citizens throughout Brooks County, Georgia, are feeling the effects of last week’s rains. County roads are seeing an increase in erosion and even more effects from lack of care and maintenance throughout the county. 

Dirt roads are caving in, washing away, ditches are no longer holding water, while maintained ditches are overflowing. Old pipes are washing away causing roads to collapse and residents to detour, creating even more problems. Vegetation overgrowth along the roadside is causing roads to nearly disappear and become more like beat down wooded trails. 

The bridge closure at 122 is causing detours down local dirt roads, increasing daily traffic from travelers following their GPS. Many get lost and have to reroute rushing down these roads at high speeds causing locals to be put in danger from high speeding traffic. These high speeds on the worn-out dirt roads are causing major concern with locals. Kids playing in the yard, elderly working in their yards, locals close to the road exercising are in danger with the increase in traffic and reckless drivers. The already neglected roads are being increasingly destroyed, leaving local residents to deal with the aftermath. 

More concerning is the semi-trucks having to stop and back up to change course. Many of those semi-trucks have taken out road signs, hit and caved in more of the ditches and been stuck on the muddy roads leaving no room for anyone to pass. 

Further signs of neglect and issues can be found throughout paved county roads. Potholes are growing, asphalt is giving away, road signs are hidden due to overgrowth in vegetation. Higher traffic on these roads is causing even more damage and spots have sunk to the point where they are now holding water longer on the roads, increasing the risk for vehicular accidents. 

Other signs of neglect and concern are with the many county bridges that run throughout the county on several of these county roads. Bridges that are several decades old with a minimal traffic weight daily are now straining with more traffic and larger vehicles. Overgrown vegetation is covering the bridges siderails, and erosion is also taking its toll on the underside of those bridges. 

The questions are building up for many of the citizens. Concerned citizens want to know Why is nothing being done by the road department when taxes have skyrocketed? Why has the county neglected the roads for so long to begin with? 

According to Brooks County Chairman Patrick Folsom, the road department has minimal staff, are working towards contracting the road department duties out, and in the process of writing up the contract so that bids can be made. 

However, the contract has not been completed and bids have not been made. This will lengthen the time span between hiring a contractor and having only the minimum completed on any road within the county. With no clear answers from county officials, anger, and frustration mounts by the day.

BC News and Stories, LLC will have continued updates on this story.