As expected, the Lamar County commission discussed log truck damage to pavement on Silver Dollar Road at its regular meeting Jan. 21. Trucks traveling to and from a large logging site have nearly destroyed the pavement in many areas. Most of the damage is along a 2.3-mile stretch from Hwy. 41 North to Liberty Hill Road. County administrator Sean Townsend said the landowner made $541,100 on the timber harvest and the county collected $16,401 in fees and taxes. To repave the damaged road would cost $298,885. To cut out and fix just the heavily-damaged sections would cost $142,032. More logging is scheduled in the area soon so any repairs now would be futile. Commissioner Nancy Thrash noted the state allows the same log truck weights on county roads as is does on state highways and that is a major part of the problem. Paul Proud, who lives along the road near Hwy. 41, thanked the commissioners for looking into the matter and providing information. He also alleged a planted buffer was required behind the old Williams Funeral Home when it was built but the work was never done. That building now houses the USDA and NRCS offices, a physical therapy practice and a pediatrics practice. The commission agreed to go back and look into that matter and evaluate how it could be enforced at this point in time. Tony Jackson, who lives at 347 Silver Dollar Road, said the original paving by Georgia Asphalt was ‘shoddy work’ and the 2.3-mile stretch was done in only two days. ’The original paving work was not up to par. There is only about a half inch of asphalt out there. They had to patch a spot near my driveway after only one month. The road was better before they paved it than it is now,’ Jackson concluded.
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