Coffee County Road Commission reviews new hot-box purchase and paving plans, discusses speed signs and a persistent water leak

Coffee County Road Commission members at their March meeting heard a detailed update from highway office staff about winter pothole repairs, new equipment acquisitions and plans for paving and shoulder work.

Jojo, who provided the highway office briefing, said crews have been patching nonstop since recent snow and that the county purchased a trailer-mounted hot box to keep asphalt warm for repairs in cold weather. "It's where we can, like on days when it's below freezing, our patch can stay warm instead of it being hard as rock," Jojo said. He added the 2-ton model is trailer-mounted, runs on diesel and can be filled with hot asphalt from Rogers Group; crews can open the rear chute and shovel material as needed to keep repairs workable at controlled temperatures.

Jojo also reported that the paving machine and roller have been serviced and that the department expects to present a paving list at the next meeting. He said crews placed…