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County approves pavement condition survey and supports multiple MPO grant applications for trails and roads
Summary
Commissioners authorized a revised contract with Withers Ravenel for a pavement condition survey and lifecycle modeling and endorsed a set of support letters for CORE MPO grant applications covering multiuse trails and roadway projects.
The board approved a corrected, lower-cost proposal from Withers Ravenel to perform a pavement condition survey and life-cycle modeling for roughly 5.60 centerline miles of county-maintained paved roads, with first-year managed services included. The revised proposal totaled $135,296, down from an earlier figure shown in the packet.
Separately, the board endorsed a batch of support letters asking the CORE Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to consider a slate of county projects for federal funding. County engineer Jonathan Holm described the program mix — Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG), Transportation Alternatives (TA), and the Carbon Reduction Program — and the trail/road corridors for which the county is seeking funding, including Bluejay Road, Courthouse Road, Effingham Parkway, Goshen Road and others, plus a partnership with Chatham County on Old River Road widening.
Why it matters: The pavement survey will provide highly granular, foot-by-foot data (except unpaved roads) to help the county prioritize repaving and maintenance budgets and avoid repaving roads shortly before they are scheduled for other work. The MPO letters place local projects in competition for federal funds that typically require a 20% local match (with some exceptions); successful awards would expand trail and road investment in the county.
Board comments and funding match: Commissioners asked about match percentages; staff confirmed an 80/20 federal/local split is typical and that Old River Road partnership would propose a 50% local match from the county’s portion. Staff also told the board they would time the survey to avoid scoring roads expected to be milled or repaved soon so results reflect current condition.
Next steps: Withers Ravenel will begin data collection and modelling under the revised scope; staff will submit the MPO applications and follow the CORE MPO selection rounds.
